Calm Mom Part 3: Attitude of Gratitude

As week 3 of Calm Mom rolls through I have been reflecting upon what to focus on this week. What I came up with is honestly something that I am really struggling with at the moment.

Gratitude.

It's not that I don't feel like being thankful. It's that I don't want to be thankful for the things on my plate that are not so wonderful.

As I mentioned in the last post, our little one has been really sick this past week. How can I be grateful for THAT?! After a LONG week, my husband was gone all weekend at a men's retreat. Again, I was not thrilled about that time away from him or missing his help with the boys.

However, it is very clear in the Bible that we be thankful in all circumstances. I'll tell you first hand, this is really easy when things are coming up roses...not so much when it seems all I have to work with is a hedge of thorns.

So, my goal this week is to attempt to catch myself as I am grumbling and frustrated with some of the situations thrown at me. Then, turning my complaints into something I can be thankful for.

First off the bat: I hated seeing my little boy so sick last week, but THANK YOU, Lord, that his fever broke last Friday night! I am sad that I did not have the weekend with my sweetheart, but THANK YOU, Lord, that my husband had an awesome time with his friends worshiping and praising You AND that my in-laws helped tremendously with the boys!

Lord, You know that I am so quick to rattle off all the hardships and negative things that pull me down each day. Please help me this week to STOP, look upward and off myself, and find things to be thankful for. Thank You, Sweet Jesus, for EVERYTHING you have blessed me with -- even when they don't appear as blessings!