It's Sunday. I attended church this morning, and as I sit down to write my TToT post for the week, I'm thankful for the habit of gratitude this blog (and this blog hop) has helped me develop. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but let me explain a major benefit of gratitude, as I understand it. Before I do that, though, feel free to sing along with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir:
Phillipians 4:6-7 says: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
In other words, as we express gratitude, we are blessed with peace--even peace when the situation doesn't really seem to warrant peace.
It's been a bit of a week, shall we say, and I'm a little tired. I have much to be thankful for, though, and as I think on those things, I find joy and peace.
1. I'm thankful for baby bunnies.
2. I'm thankful for blossoming trees and flowers.
3. I'm thankful for new fish in my aquarium. As I was looking at the tank the other day, I noticed 2 tiny little fish. Apparently one of my fish gave birth, and at least a couple of the fry have survived.
4. I'm thankful for homemade blueberry muffins. It has been a long time since I've baked muffins, but I whipped up a dozen this afternoon. I love the smell (and the taste!)
5. I'm thankful for a cleaner house. I've been able to take some time to pay attention to some neglected areas this week. I love it when my surroundings are clutter-free.
6. I'm thankful for music. I've played the piano more this week, thanks to my new calling as Primary pianist. John and I also went to a concert by The Irish Rovers last night.
7. I'm thankful for friends, near and far. As I was talking to my neighbor today, we discovered we were both at the concert last night. Even though we must have left the neighborhood and come home at different times, and even though we sat in different areas of the theater and didn't see each other, it was fun to realize we shared an interest.
8. I'm thankful for prayer. Not only should we express thanks in prayers, we can also request help, and we can receive peace.
9. I'm thankful for sleep. I know that we lost an hour this week, but I am still thankful for a comfortable bed and the chance to rest.
10. I'm thankful for John. We went to the temple together Friday night (and to The Irish Rovers concert on Saturday). We really do enjoy our time together, and the temple always brings peace.
What benefits have you found from expressing thanks? What are you thankful for this week? Comment below, and if you'd like to write a Ten Things of Thankful post, link it up at the Ten Things of Thankful blog!
Phillipians 4:6-7 says: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
In other words, as we express gratitude, we are blessed with peace--even peace when the situation doesn't really seem to warrant peace.
It's been a bit of a week, shall we say, and I'm a little tired. I have much to be thankful for, though, and as I think on those things, I find joy and peace.
1. I'm thankful for baby bunnies.
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| Photo: A tiny baby bunny bottom is camouflaged among the dirt and weeds |
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| Photo: A baby bunny at the corner of the block wall |
2. I'm thankful for blossoming trees and flowers.
3. I'm thankful for new fish in my aquarium. As I was looking at the tank the other day, I noticed 2 tiny little fish. Apparently one of my fish gave birth, and at least a couple of the fry have survived.
4. I'm thankful for homemade blueberry muffins. It has been a long time since I've baked muffins, but I whipped up a dozen this afternoon. I love the smell (and the taste!)
5. I'm thankful for a cleaner house. I've been able to take some time to pay attention to some neglected areas this week. I love it when my surroundings are clutter-free.
6. I'm thankful for music. I've played the piano more this week, thanks to my new calling as Primary pianist. John and I also went to a concert by The Irish Rovers last night.
7. I'm thankful for friends, near and far. As I was talking to my neighbor today, we discovered we were both at the concert last night. Even though we must have left the neighborhood and come home at different times, and even though we sat in different areas of the theater and didn't see each other, it was fun to realize we shared an interest.
8. I'm thankful for prayer. Not only should we express thanks in prayers, we can also request help, and we can receive peace.
9. I'm thankful for sleep. I know that we lost an hour this week, but I am still thankful for a comfortable bed and the chance to rest.
10. I'm thankful for John. We went to the temple together Friday night (and to The Irish Rovers concert on Saturday). We really do enjoy our time together, and the temple always brings peace.
What benefits have you found from expressing thanks? What are you thankful for this week? Comment below, and if you'd like to write a Ten Things of Thankful post, link it up at the Ten Things of Thankful blog!
Wonderful list. #8 resonates within me.
ReplyDeleteI am happy to pay the hour (of sleep) in return for the re-calibration that keeps the sun up longer at the end of the day.
ReplyDeleteLight later has a way of allowing the stress of the main part of the seep away, once away from the tasks of the main day.
Light in the morning is less necessary, as it is naturally (for me) a time of quiet appreciation (or, to be more realistic) the effort to appreciate the sufficiency I have, provided I let myself accept it.
ya know....
Cool 'bout the new piano gig. There is something special about performance. Not the superficial 'hey look at me', rather the sense of service at the cost of putting yourself 'out there'. very satisfying and humbling.
These are all so good, Kristi, and this was a day when I needed to be reminded about the gift of peace, and how to find it. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI love your baby bunnies, and I know how good a clean and tidy house feels. Music and muffins are big reasons to smile too!
Sleep is one of those things we take for granted when we have it and don't realize what a blessing it is until we don't. Sound sleep is the great restorer, and with the time change we will be scheduling in a little more here until we've adjusted.
John is always your biggest and best blessing, what would we do without our wonderful best friend/spouses?!
Have a a really good week ahead, and thank you for sharing with us at TToT. I appreciate you!
Number 5 resonates with me. I find my mind feels cluttered when the house needs to be cleaned. I find it therapeutic to clean the house :)
ReplyDeleteI think we are blessed with peace even when it isn't always warranted when we express gratitude as you said in your post. I do it, I feel it. Congratulations on your peaceful week and I'm glad you captured the cutest bunny pictures!
ReplyDeleteYour words - as we express gratitude, we are blessed with peace--even peace when the situation doesn't really seem to warrant peace - resonate powerfully with me because I know firsthand how very true this is. And I love that.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a full and busy week. Cute bunnies! I'll have to show Zilla.
And I always love hearing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir - beautiful.
Bunnies are the cutest. You know when I think about my gratitude list, I always include music as well. So helpful and magical to have it. :)
ReplyDeleteAwww, baby bunnies and little tiny fish. This time of all creatures, newly born. It is the best thing to have a balance of thanks and giving. You always have this in your TToT posts. A clean house that smells like muffins. Sounds splendid. All the hours, one lost or one given, but having a warm and comfortable bed at the end of any day is always the most obvious of the thankful. Happy Daylight Savings to you and spring is on her way.
ReplyDelete