Thankful Thursday: The Little Things

Image from The Legacy Builder

Last week, I was all set to tell you about the funny little things I’d thought about over the past week, small blessings that I was truly thankful for. But then I watched the Compassion Bloggers chat from El Salvador and was torn all to pieces.

I didn’t think I had the right to be thankful for the little things. I didn’t think it was okay to focus on the trivial parts of my abundantly rich life. I didn’t think it would be nice to talk about how blessed I am when so many are suffering.

And so I told you about how I pray with Annalyn every night, and we thank God for a place to live and food to eat (and Elmo to play with). And that was true. We do that. I keep it simple, so she can understand and start developing a true sense of gratitude.

But that’s not the end of the story.

See, we’re going through the book of Genesis at church. I’m not even sure what prompted my thoughts on Sunday – perhaps a reminder that God made every living thing on this planet – but I found myself feeling so convicted.

I realized, as I thought about the mountains and the trees and the rocks and the flowers and the birds and the dinosaurs (Just kidding. We did not talk about dinosaurs.) and the animals that God does amazing things. He always has, and He always will.

And He does them for us. So we can see Him and know Him and get a glimpse of His majesty.

Somehow, that thought brought another idea to mind: Maybe it’s okay to talk about how much I appreciate the little things. In fact, maybe it would be wrong not to be grateful for the little things. So, without further ado or deep thought, here are a few things I’m thankful for today:

• Good friends who make me laugh so hard my sides hurt.
• Finding Cinnamon Trident at the Target register a couple weeks ago. Red Trident has been missing for so long . . . and I have been missing it. So I bought two packs (one for me, one for my dad, who's also been missing the red gum).
• Coupons to my favorite department store. Even better? Two coupons - one for $25 off and one for 25% off - that I can use together.
• Getting the opportunity to sing a great song at our Christmas program.
• The chance to write for (in)courage. I love the community and ministry that they've built at Dayspring, and being a part of it has really blessed me this fall!
• Meeting The Pioneer Woman at her book signing on Monday.
• A wonderful friend who not only agreed to watch Annalyn at the last minute but also brought her McDonald's for dinner!
  
• And speaking of my daughter - Annalyn fell off her chair at Chipotle yesterday and hit the concrete floor. Aside from a bump on her head, though, she's completely fine - and apparently able to turn a backflip. I'm so thankful for God's protection (despite us feeding her fast food twice in three days!)!
• The fact that even when you don't technically follow the recipe and the Rice Krispy treats don't turn out exactly right . . . they still taste good.
  

So there you have it. Maybe these things are minor, insignificant, small. But they're mine. And I'm thankful for them.

What are you thankful for today? Link up your thankful posts below or tell us in the comments!

(P.S. This post will be entered in Scribbit's Write-Away Contest. You can do it, too. It's not too late to enter. You have until Sunday!)

Thankful Thursday: sometimes plans change

Image from The Legacy Builder

I had a list of things that I’m thankful for. I’ve been writing down little and big things over the past week, and I just pulled that list up to put into a little post. A funny post. Because that’s what I do, right?

But you know what? I am sitting here, watching a live chat with the Compassion bloggers in El Salvador. And they are talking about the devastating and heartbreaking poverty they have witnessed this week, and they’re telling stories about children who have saved every letter they ever received from their sponsor, and I’m bawling.

You know what Shaun (Groves) just said? He said that the number of obese people in the world and the number of people who don’t eat every day is approximately the same. So, his point was, God clearly has made enough to go around.

I don’t know how to live with that information.

So as I look at my list of what I’m thankful for, it seems pretty small. And not really that funny after all. So this week, I’m going to kick it serious style and tell you what I pray with Annalyn every night before she goes to bed.

“Dear God, thank you for this day. Thank you for a house to live in and food to eat. Please keep Daddy safe at work and bring him home to us tonight, and please help Annalyn sleep through the night. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Each night has a variation on this theme – sometimes we pray for her babysitter and her friends, sometimes we pray for family prayer requests (like job changes or health), sometimes we pray for Elmo – but we always thank God for our house and our food.

After reading and hearing about the children of El Salvador tonight, I’m even more thankful.

But don’t get me wrong. It’s okay to be thankful for other things! Next week, I will most definitely be telling you all about the department store coupon I got in the mail and the exciting surprise I got at the Target checkout. And don’t even get me started on the blessings I’ve received lately from blogging. Stay tuned for all of that.

Tonight, though, I’m thankful for a house to live in and food to eat.

What are you thankful for this week? Leave a comment or link up a post. Or both! Yeah yeah, do both!