It seems fitting, with November on the horizon, to end this series with gratitude.  While I’m terribly inconsistent (why is that?!), I tend to be much more content in life when I take the time to count my blessings.


Don’t get me wrong.  Sometimes giving thanks is hard. 


In a pinch, I can quickly list off the easy ones: gorgeous sunsets, that first cup of coffee in the morning, the smiles of my children.  I’m thankful for the food in my fridge, checking off tasks on my to-do list, my husband’s laughter.  I praise God for the brilliant red leaves on our tree outside, a full night’s sleep, a homily that convicts me deeply.  But life isn’t all sunshine and roses, is it?  Life is hard.


When we discovered my son may have a learning disability, it was hard to give thanks.  
When my marriage was crumbling, it was hard to give thanks.
When I struggled with crushing anxiety and depression, it was hard to give thanks.
When people in my life let me down, when earnest prayers felt like they went unanswered, when I felt so alone, it was hard to give thanks.

But.


It’s in these moments, the moments that are so difficult and feel so impossible, that I must muscle my way toward gratitude.  Even when I can’t see the finish line, I trust that He does.


My son may have trouble reading, but dyslexia also means that he is a creative, out-of-the box thinker.     
My marriage almost ended a few years ago, but that trial by fire has reignited our love and commitment in a whole new way.
My postpartum hormones have brought me down dark and scary places, but have also forced me to learn about myself and how I work.
My disappointment and loneliness have brought me closer to Christ in a way I never have before.


Everything is a gift.

We Mamas are busy, giving and giving and giving.  We’re caring for children, keeping a house, on the go and here and there and everywhere.  That unconditional, self-pouring love is good.  But sometimes I can get so focused on my to-do list and daily tasks that I forget to spend a little time looking out.


Discontentment seems to rear its ugly head when I start to get caught up in “me”: my to-do list, my dreams, my future plans, etc.  But life is so much bigger than me!  We all want to be seen, we all want to feel like we’re not alone.  I want to do my part to let the people in my life know that I really see them.  I want them to know that I’m thankful for their support, their example, their love.  Truly, I am so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life and I want to share that love with others too.   

Mother Teresa said, “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.”  I‘m starting with them and then working my way out, one person at a time.

Here are a few ideas, in case you want to look out too: 
+ handwritten thank you notes
+ something to curb the nausea for a newly pregnant mama
+ cleaning supplies or a candle for a new homeowner
+ snack box for a college student’s late night munchies
+ care package for someone who’s mentioned on Facebook/blog post that they’re struggling
+ drawings or paintings for grandmothers or those in assisted living/nursing home
+ flowers delivered to a friend going through a hard time
+ a remembrance gift for someone who lost a child or had a miscarriage


Links to check out:
Sincerely Monday: a gratitude project
Thank You Thursdays: a blog series at Team Studer

Today’s subject is a hard one for me, so let’s be real and honest, okay?  


Food is a tricky thing for me.  I understand how good, nutritious food is beneficial to our bodies.  Eating lots of vegetables and less processed food, going gluten-free or even Paleo – they’re all good, good things.  I’ve seen the positive effects in myself as well as my family.


But.


We’re currently on a pretty tight budget and staying on track means letting go of some of those strict dietary rules.  With seven mouths to feed, there’s just not enough money to always buy the freshest/grass-fed/organic/best ingredients.  Honestly, it causes me a lot of stress and guilt.


Feeding myself and my family isn’t ending anytime soon and this obsession with optimal health can quickly turn into an idol.  It has in the past for me.  Maybe finding contentment with food means slowing down, eating realistic portions and just being thankful for what’s set before you.  Maybe finding contentment with food means eating the best with what you’ve got.


Yet another pep talk:
+ Let food be a positive part of life, not something to stress, obsess or worry about.
+ Find the method of meal planning that works best and stick with that.
+ There’s no shame in making a box of pasta for dinner sometimes (but try to add a vegetable for good measure too).    

Day 19.  Are you tired of hearing from me yet?  I’m a little tired of hearing from me.  


For the past three weeks, I have been wrestling with this idea of contentment on a pretty consistent basis.  I’ve tackled the idea of “being enough” and seen how our student loan debt unconsciously causes unhappiness.  I’ve taken a good look myself: the good, the bad and the ugly.  On Thursday, I started taking the first proactive steps by disconnecting from technology a bit.  Today, I’m looking at traditions.


Traditions, according to Webster, are “the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction.”  Traditions are those things that make your people, your people, you know what I mean?  They are what makes your family special; they are the events that stay the same even as you grow and change.  


I totally see how traditions can be helpful as I seek contentment with my life.  Looking forward to those special events will ultimately make me excited for what’s to come, not just for what I hope to come.  Instead of focusing all of my attention on the future outside my reach, I can simply enjoy those little pieces that we do every single year.  


Here are a few brainstorming ideas – some we already do and some I hope to incorporate more next year:
+ Celebrating the liturgical year
+ Trips to the farm to pick fruit: strawberry picking, apple picking, etc.
+ Friday family movie nights
+ Cookie decorating party or swap in December
+ An act of service that occurs around the same time every year
+ Sunday dinner


These are the things my children will remember.  These are the events that they’ll eventually introduce their spouse to, that they’ll mold and shape into their own with their own families someday.  What a beautiful thought.