Thankfully Humbled

I am deeply grateful for the abundance of love, joy, peace, friendship, kindness, grace, and support that fills our lives. Though my children and grandchildren are far away, they are always close to our hearts and a phone call away. We are extremely rich in these things of the heart.

I am also grateful for the roof we have over our heads, the heat that keeps us warm, the electricity, running water and indoor plumbing that makes our lives so much easier then my ancestors had it. I look around at the pictures of loved ones that cover our walls and the other decor and my heart swells with gratitude.

I am thankful for all the material things that fill up our home…from the toys and books, to our TV and movies, the computer which connects me to you and my children, the table at which we eat, the rocking chair I cuddle my little people in, to the beds we get to lay our heads on at night(or the recliner for me :) and the blankets that keep us warm at night.

I am thankful for the appliances that make daily living so convenient. A stove that cooks the food and the refrigerator that keeps our food cold…the washer and dryer that enable us to wear clean clothes daily. Our telephones that keep us in constant contact with whom ever we want to talk to.

I am thankful that we don’t go without eating a single meal…that we afford foods that are both healthy and good.

I am thankful that we have clothing to wear that we not only like but are not torn, or stained…that we have shoes and boots, warms coats, snow pants and hats and mittens to keep us warm in the cold.

I am thankful that we have vehicles that run and gas in them so that we are able to get to where we need to go, whether it be to work or to play.

I am thankful that we have jobs that pay us enough to pay our bills and to keep all of the above running and our bellies full.

We have so much. Sometimes I think we have too much. No, we don’t have as much as many people and I have no problem with that. No, our house is not fancy and actually most everything was purchased already used. While we live simple, we have more than enough.

What bothers me is that there are so many that don’t have what we have. What tares out my heart is knowing that there are people going to sleep hungry tonight. Worse yet, there are people going to sleep hungry, outside in the cold tonight. This brings tears to my eye’s just thinking about it.

I think about the times I have complained about my house and I think about all those that would give anything to just have a house.

I think about the times I have complained about the food in the house even though there is still a lot of food, just not food I’m hungry for…when there are those that are starving…there are those that don’t know when or what they will feed their children tomorrow.

I think about the times I’ve complained about cleaning or something around the house instead of just being thankful that I have a house to clean…and that I have arms and legs to do the work. Or the times I complain about having to cook something when I should be rejoicing that I have food to feed my little people.

Every single time I get upset about toys or books on the floor, I need to rejoice that there are children that fill up our home while there are homes that would love to have children but they are empty because of infertility or some other health issue.

Just as those times, that I have 2 loud rascals getting into everything…to just be thankful that they are healthy and have legs to run and hands to play…and that I have ears to hear them and eyes to take in their beauty.

I think about the numerous times I whine and complain about having no time to myself when there are people so lonely because they never see or talk to anyone for days.

I think about how just this morning, I complained on my way to work, because it was cold and snowing and I had to put gas into my van. How I need to just be thankful that I had the means to put gas into a vehicle that gets me to my work.

I think about the times I feel sad that my children are so far away and not getting to see them.  Yet there are people who have no contact with their children or other family members due to a drug addiction, a riff, a mental illness, they have passed away or worse yet, because they have gone missing.

The fact that I have a close relationship with each of my children and grandchildren in spite of the distance  leaves me grateful. I live in a loving, peaceful(for the most part :) joy filled home with a wonderful husband, that treats me like a queen with 2 very happy healthy children.

Yet I am sad and my heart aches. I cannot stop thinking about those outside of my house.

Yes, tonight I think of the lonely, the depressed or mentally ill, the sick, the homeless, the hungry, the barren woman that desires a child, the shut in’s, the jobless, the broken hearted and the poor in spirit. I think of those that are suffering in silence tonight while I get to share with you, in my nice warm peaceful house.

I am humbled. Because I have too much to be complaining about anything.

While I am thankful that I am surrounded by such richness in my life, I am sad and my heart literally aches for those that don’t have tonight. I do reach out in some ways already and I pray, but the constant nudging at my heart is saying to me that this is not enough.

I must do more. I have been feeling this for quite some time. Some idea’s have been getting sent my way recently. Various people have unknowingly been planting seeds and it’s time to start watering them. I know I am being called to do something but not sure exactly what. All I know is, I must listen to my heart.

I want to say thank you to each one of you that give of yourselves in one way or another. Thank you for giving.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I hope you know I am thankful for you!

Love & Hugs, Lori