eyes wide open

{via shayla lilian}

you know, it's funny how God works. as i reflected on the many things that have come up in my life over the past days and weeks i more or less landed on the idea of gratitude. i blogged about it a little bit last week on my own blog, and the idea kept coming back to me as i thought about what to share with you all.

and then, lo and behold, what is the message on sunday about? gratitude.

maybe God is just trying to let me in on the fact that i take too much for granted, or am too much of a pessimist, or maybe i'm just a bit ungrateful. but as i walk into this holiday season i am determined to have eyes wide open with gratitude. looking for things to be thankful for, being optimistic, seeing the good, seeing the blessings in the midst of imperfection. because this time of year is not perfect. it's not perfect at all. it falls short for so many reasons, and yet, it is blessed.

i'm not talking about empty optimism, but there is always always always something to be thankful for. always. if for nothing else than the fact that we have been redeemed. and that's a whole heck of a lot. and it's easy to forget, at least for me. because i get so wrapped up in the minutiae of life that sometimes i miss the big picture. i have been redeemed. and nothing else in life can even come close.

nothing can come close, but there are a whole host of other blessings in my life. and i don't want thanksgiving day to be the only day when my focus is thankfulness. i don't want it to be the only time of year when i concentrate on my blessings.

and i certainly don't want to head into the christmas part of the holiday season thinking only about the things i need to check off of my list, or the things i'm going to get out of it.

{via worldvisionacts}

this year may we be consumers of the creator instead of just consumers. may our eyes be wide open with gratitude.

here's the start of my thankful list:

• a savior who loves and redeems me
• my husband
• my son
• a good marriage
• my crazy dog
• the ability to exercise
• the time to stay home with my son
• a huge, loving extended family
• time and means to travel
• friends scattered across the country and the globe
• a cup of coffee
• time to write
• curiosity & imagination
• sunshine
• the color of the leaves outside
• cooler weather
• a house to live in
• a car to drive
• music
• a computer to type this on
• time to cook for my family
• soccer games to watch and to play
• clothes to wear
• shoes for my feet
• …

and that is just the beginning. so tell me, what are you thankful for?

and how do you plan on carrying an attitude of thanksgiving into the christmas season?

xo,

katie