Gratitude

I've lived in homes of all shapes & sizes. From a small trailer house, to a tiny apartment, to a 2 story home and then an extreme fixer-upper. This last one was such a "fixer-upper" that the carpet layer we hired to replace our flooring told us "People always ask 'how bad was our carpet?' Let me tell you, you win!" I'm not sure it was a contest I was looking to win, but I'm grateful for the experience it has given us.

In each of the homes I've lived in, while living at home with my parents & now having a family of my own, there is one thing that has made the difference in what truly makes a house a home. It is gratitude. I believe that when we appreciate what we have, we take care of it. I know my children appreciate their toys when they take care of them. We have made an effort to teach them to keep their rooms clean and remind them that keeping their rooms clean speaks of the gratitude they have for their space.

Sometimes as a mom of 5 it can be easy to be overwhelmed with all of the laundry, the dishes, the continual meal planning and cooking. but I've tried to change my mindset from "I have to do this, this and this, to I get to do this." There are many who live with much less and I never want to take for granted all I've been blessed with. This poem states it perfectly.

Thank God for Dirty Dishes

Thank God for dirty dishes.

They have a tale to tell.

While other folks go hungry,

We're eating rather well.

With home & health & happiness,

We shouldn't want to fuss.

For by this stack of evidence,

God's very good to us.

Mary Arlis Stuber

My friends, let's challenge ourselves to be grateful for the stacks of dishes & piles of laundry. As you go about your day, practice gratitude and see how your perspective changes.