Forgive me for my meandering thoughts today. February was a tough month. I’ve joked to my friends that last February was just as bad, so I would like to just skip February next year (or at least leave the area). 

It is easy to slip into a negative mindset and outlook when things go awry. Unfortunately, I have a tendency to be a glass-half-empty-type of person anyway. To counter this negativity, according to the “experts,” we should practice gratitude.

Though it’s not always easy, especially when things look bleak or you are in the midst of suffering and heartache, I do believe appreciating the good or counting your blessings is vital. 

So, I don’t care how cliche it sounds, I am going to focus on the positive and express my gratitude for my blessings. Once I start down this path, I find there is much to be thankful for.

First on my list is my relationship with God. Since I believe this to be a personal and private connection between each person and his or her Creator, I will say no more except that He is my reason for all that I have and all that I am.

Next up is my family. Words cannot do justice for expressing my love to those closest to me and of paramount importance in my life. 

The remainder of my list here pales in comparison to God and family, of course, but is there really anything too small to be thankful for? To answer that, I always think of how Corrie Ten Boom’s sister was thankful for fleas. Corrie spoke of this in her well-known book, The Hiding Place. (A fantastic read, by the way.)

Not in any sort of order here…

I’m thankful for my home and land in the country. Having land gives us the freedom to raise animals and grow food. 

I’m thankful to be in Texas. Although I believe the state suffers from many unjust laws that infringe on our freedoms, Texas is better than many other states in this regard. Plus, I like the climate here and many other nuances that are strictly “Texan.”

I’m thankful to have the ability and opportunity to homeschool my kids. Along that line, I’m thankful for the availability of education. Information is so readily available in this age, it makes it easy to learn about anything you desire. 

I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to travel abroad. I’m thankful that we can still travel when time and money allow. I hope the world will once again allow traveling, as it once did, without the despotism-like restrictions. 

I am beyond grateful that all of my children are healthy. It breaks my heart that there are too many parents who cannot say as much.

My list would not be complete without including the blessings of bounty – food! If you’ve read any of my prior posts, you know that I do a lot of cooking. Oh, how many varieties of tasty concoctions are out there!

I’m also thankful that we are now close to spring and all the warmth, growth, and progress for projects it is sure to bring with it! 

Wishing you all a blessed day.