Last weekend before the storms hit, the weather was absolutely beautiful. I was pleased to be able to get out for even a little while. I wanted to enjoy the mild weather. We decided to grab a coffee. We timed it perfectly. We planned to just grab a coffee and go. Usually John goes inside and gets us a coffee while I wait in the truck. (The noise and pressure of ordering is sure to annoy my "Sensory Processing Disorder". Crowds and noise do not play "nice" together for me. In fact they are in a constant game of who can take me out first). But, there were tables outside, and NO music playing (From my experience - unheard of at a coffee shop). The weather was mild and sunny. There were people sitting at some of the tables but they were talking quietly. So I was able to sit at a table - and enjoy my beverage - like a "normal" person. I used to have coffee dates often, and am sorry to say I took them for granted. Insert big sigh and palm to forehead.
* How much I was enjoying the sun of my face.
* The mild weather.
* I was able to have a coffee date at a Coffee Shop.
* I was able to feel like a normal person having a coffee date.
* The fact that we stumbled across a garage sale on our walk. I had just mentioned that morning how much I missed going to garage sales.
All these thing I am grateful for. That I used to take such simple things for granted makes me sad. I used to just assume I would do whatever I wanted to do just because I wanted to do it. I would think I want to do (insert activity) and then I would go do just that activity. Life was so easy then! I just cruised along taking advantage of my life's many many blessings and I'm disgusted to admit I was NOT appreciating MOST of it. I was sooooo ungrateful. Hummm.
I looked up the definition of grateful and found this definition on the internet.
grate·ful
Dictionary result for grateful
/ˈɡrātfəl/
adjective
feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness; thankful."I'm very grateful to you for all your help"
synonyms: thankful, filled with gratitude, appreciative;
I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Do I show appreciation of kindness? Am I filled with gratitude? Appreciative? Thankful? If I'm honest I would say sometimes. But do I have a grateful "spirit"? This is what I am striving for.
It's the little things friends. I am working hard to have a grateful heart. To appreciate ALL the little things. The sun on my face, the fact that I was able to get out of the house. To be able to have a coffee date, go on a walk. But most importantly to have John with me to go on a coffee date, and for him to be willing to push me on a walk. Yes I'm going to say it...To have the beast so I was able to get out.
The hymn "Give thanks with a grateful heart" has a lot of wisdom. I am making the effort to adopt this as a new lifestyle. I strive for this to become "natural" for me. Where I am grateful whatever the circumstance. Even in bad or not so desirable circumstances - that's where it gets hard. Really and truly grateful deep in the private part of my heart. The place no one sees but me.
I am reminded of the psalmist saying "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, or Lord". Psalm 19:14
Not just saying I'm so grateful for Insert " ____" as I think we all do from time to time. But really owning it. Having a truly grateful heart. Being content. Lots to think about, even more to apply and hopefully make a permanent lifestyle change.
As always, until we talk again
Art Therapy coloring books in my Etsy shop:
"Under the Sea" Zentangle http://etsy.me/2uyf2lH
"Hearts" http://etsy.me/1Kdwykm
"Under the Sea" Zentangle http://etsy.me/2uyf2lH
"Hearts" http://etsy.me/1Kdwykm
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