If we look at our lives, we can easily find things to complain about, and often do. Just as easily we can see the good things, it depends on our perspective. This time of year is when we take off the dark lenses we often use year round and try and see things through the rose colored ones. It's time to be thankful, and I would love to keep the lighter lenses on this time around. Let's turn the tide.
Instead of dreading going in to work on Mondays and praying for Fridays to come faster or looking forward to my next vacation, I am thankful I have a job, because many don't. I am glad that I have a job that challenges me and pays a decent wage, because I could be doing something less fulfilling for less pay. When I am overwhelmed by deadlines or circumstances at work, I can take a deep breath and remember that it doesn't last forever.
When I think that it is time for me to move past the "having roommates" stage in my life, I am grateful that when I come home, there is someone around to either laugh or cry with, depending on the day. I could live alone, or have no home at all...but I don't. When I feel like I am desperate to start the next chapter in my life, I can see all that being single has blessed me with...I can still enjoy 8 hours of sleep a night...haha, once I become a mom, that will change!
I am SO blessed. I live in a beautiful home with fun roommates. I have more friends than I deserve. I have a family who loves me. I have a good job where I learn something new everyday. I have an amazing church family who helps me grow in every area of my life. I have lived within 20 minutes of a beach for a majority of my life. I can afford many luxuries that many cannot. And I am rich in my relationship with God, who has given me more second chances and blessings than I could have ever asked for or imagined. I am blessed.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
complimentary, my dear
Since I have stopped doing my 30 days, I have not really posted...except about Needtobreathe, whom I still love! You will likely hear more in the future, but for now, I will move on to a new topic.
Compliments. I am not always very good at receiving them. I am great at receiving them when I am expecting them...I think most women will relate to this scenario. The days when you wear an outfit you absolutely love and feel confident that you look amazing in. Those are the days when people say things like, "Wow! I love _____! Where did you get that?" I easily smile and say thanks in return, and somewhere deep down I know that I worked hard for that compliment. Haha...it's true, right?
Then there are the days where you manage to get out of the house...you may or may not feel great about the effort you made, and while you may have started out well, the day has brought you to a point where you feel like a "beast". (Someone I know used this term to describe how she sometimes feels...I think it fits.) It is in these moments where I am completely caught off guard by the nice words people have, and come up with a really lame response, because in this moment, I truly don't believe it is true about myself. I did this a while back with a friend who simply told me I looked really nice. I think I managed to say something like, "Yeah, this is just something I wore to work today..." I am not even sure I thanked him! Horrible! Not only is this insulting to myself because I don't believe it, but also to the giver for blowing off such a sweet compliment. These types of days are when we need to receive these compliments the MOST. In fact, sometimes the timing of them have made me want to cry.
The important part about a compliment, a real genuine one, is that we need to receive it graciously and with open arms. If we ward them off, the negative things take over, and it takes so much longer to overcome them! Plus, these friends who love us enough to bless us with their words may be hesitant to do so in the future if we cast down their attempts. (If the person I sadly blew off ever reads this, I am sorry!) This is a dare to those who fumble when given a compliment...for the next few weeks, even if you don't feel like it, look that person in the eyes, smile and say "thanks." Then let their words sink in. We need to be collectors of blessings. I am going to do this as well.
Compliments. I am not always very good at receiving them. I am great at receiving them when I am expecting them...I think most women will relate to this scenario. The days when you wear an outfit you absolutely love and feel confident that you look amazing in. Those are the days when people say things like, "Wow! I love _____! Where did you get that?" I easily smile and say thanks in return, and somewhere deep down I know that I worked hard for that compliment. Haha...it's true, right?
Then there are the days where you manage to get out of the house...you may or may not feel great about the effort you made, and while you may have started out well, the day has brought you to a point where you feel like a "beast". (Someone I know used this term to describe how she sometimes feels...I think it fits.) It is in these moments where I am completely caught off guard by the nice words people have, and come up with a really lame response, because in this moment, I truly don't believe it is true about myself. I did this a while back with a friend who simply told me I looked really nice. I think I managed to say something like, "Yeah, this is just something I wore to work today..." I am not even sure I thanked him! Horrible! Not only is this insulting to myself because I don't believe it, but also to the giver for blowing off such a sweet compliment. These types of days are when we need to receive these compliments the MOST. In fact, sometimes the timing of them have made me want to cry.
The important part about a compliment, a real genuine one, is that we need to receive it graciously and with open arms. If we ward them off, the negative things take over, and it takes so much longer to overcome them! Plus, these friends who love us enough to bless us with their words may be hesitant to do so in the future if we cast down their attempts. (If the person I sadly blew off ever reads this, I am sorry!) This is a dare to those who fumble when given a compliment...for the next few weeks, even if you don't feel like it, look that person in the eyes, smile and say "thanks." Then let their words sink in. We need to be collectors of blessings. I am going to do this as well.
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