Lazy Sunday ~ Giving Thanks Week 3

On this truly lazy Sunday (I am still in my pajamas), I am reflecting on my week and trying to put it into perspective. There have been a lot of stressful things that have happened, where at times, I have not felt thankful for anything. I have found myself upset, defeated, frustrated, and alone. I wondered all week what I was going to write today. This is a far cry from last week when I had a million things I was thankful for.

Like always, things happen for a reason. There always seems to be things that come along at the right time to give a little sign that life isn't so bad. This happened twice this week and has helped me get back to being thankful once again.

I was invited to a fundraising event for an organization called Children Today. My friend from college invited me at the last minute, and my husband and I were able to donate a gift basket from our sporting goods store to auction off for the cause. I almost didn't go, but decided a few hours of adult time may be just what the doctor ordered. At the event, I learned more about what Children Today does. They offer child care and preschool to homeless children. I found myself donating money to give a child a birthday party, and buying books to give to the children in their program. This was heartbreaking and that evening, I found myself getting choked up. I could not imagine being in a situation where I could not provide food, shelter, and needs for my child.

Another friend of mine from college, and a fellow blogger, invited me to a blogging event yesterday for Nintendo Wii and the American Heart Association. The lunch happened to have a guest speaker on Asset Based Thinking. While I am reserving the details for a post dedicated to this event, I must say that the main message here was to change the way we thought about our problems. The speaker encouraged us to think positively about our problems and look at them as opportunites instead of negative things that weigh us down. Sounds like a little poke in the ribs from the highers that be, doesn't it?

So today, I am simply going to be thankful for what I have. I may run the risk of sounding materialistic but stick with me. I am thankful I own my home and it provides a roof for my family. I will always and forever want a bigger house but I need to stop and just be thankful that I have a home that I own. I am thankful that I have a job to go back to and that I am not in the group of the thousands of people that have found themselves out of work. I am thankful that I have enough money to buy basic necessities for my family. Money is one of those things that everyone feels like they always need more of, but I can buy food, diapers, clothing, and pay my bills. For that I am thankful.

In a time of difficulty right now, where I am personally struggling with many things in my life, I know that I am more fortunate than many. I have a healthy family (week 1), am surrounded by amazing friends (week 2), and have the basic necessities in life that so many of us take forgranted, and that so many in this country struggle for. This haute mom has had her smack in the face for the week and has been reminded that things could always be worse and when looking at things from a different perspective, I need to be truly thankful for the simple things.

Thank you to Masy Bunnell and Lisa Robertson for your invitations that have allowed me to be thankful for what I have.

I think I learned
to appreciate and treasure each day,
because you don't know
how many you're going to be given.
US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

When I started counting my blessings,
my whole life turned around.
Willie Nelson