Thanks-living

Well, yet again time has zoomed right by and I haven't blogged a bit! This is really a project, I don't know how these young women keep up with their blogs and their homemaking and their young children, etc. But, I find myself on the Friday night after a big Thanksgiving celebration sitting at home with time on my hands so thought I would put a few thoughts to screen (so to speak).

Thanksgiving day was a blessing. All the fam were here - Mom and Dad, sis and her hubby and daughter, and of course all of my offspring and their little chicks. Sixteen of us in total and somehow I managed to squeeze all of us into the dining room/living room around one LONG table for lunch. Of course, this was not without some protest from my eldest son who was really planning on eating turkey while cheering on the Titans! But, it was also my birthday (yes, the requisite turkey jokes can begin) and I used my Mimi birthday power to insist that all of us sit down together and share our meal, as well as sharing the things for which each is thankful. Let me tell you, blog-readers, this can be a tissue time because it occurred to me that it is hard to tell those closest to us what is in our hearts. These are the people who typically see us at our very worst so to be mushy with them is not often the easiest thing to do. My Pops got us started off, though, which is so cute to me because he is not typically a mushy-man! Seven years ago he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and we were told that his prognosis was not good. However, all these years later he is still with us for which I am daily grateful to God. The popular consensus is that I am very much like my father, which I choose to take as a compliment because he is fun and never meets a stranger and loves his family very much. My mother has such a kind heart and takes too much on herself as far as worry and guilt and all of the other "issues" that we women usually have. She also loves to laugh and be with all of the great-grands and I always know that I can count on her to be my biggest supporter, no matter what. Having wonderful parents like these make me feel truly blessed.

So, this got me to thinking...if I have good health, and a home and a job and food to eat, and a wonderful, loving family, and more friends than I could hope for, and most importantly eternal life through Jesus Christ, why am I not living my life with an attitude of Thanks-living? My day-to-day existence should be full of thanks for all I have been given - it shouldn't have to wait until one day each November. Thankfulness should be a constant state of mind, because of where we live and what we already have. Which just makes me want to freeze Thanksgiving Day into a time capsule, sort of like the movie Groundhog Day, where you just relive it over and over again. The things I used to take for granted are now even more precious and the things I used to think I wanted aren't so important any more. Hmmm...

So, if you hung in til now in reading this blog I pray that you will begin to live each day as Thanks-living Day, remembering everyone and everything for which you are grateful and not being shy about telling them! How we all could change the world if we started living a life of "thanks" rather than "things"...

Blessings to all,
Mimi