Last Updated on March 26, 2024
Recently I opened up one of my notebooks and discovered a page entitled, “Blog Ideas.” I instantly thought, “Cool!” Unfortunately, not so much … I can’t figure out what half of them are about. Here are a few … maybe someone who reads this will know what I meant!
Lottery commercial? Other than wishing I could win the lottery, I have no clue!
Sicko? Not only is that one disturbing, but I can’t even vaguely remember the context.
Ugh!?! That could mean a lot of things … it’s one of my most commonly uttered phrases.
The great thing about revisiting an old journal or notebook is seeing what God is doing in my life. I found sermon notes, quotes, and some short journal-like entries that reminded me how blessed I am. You could surmise from this blog that my memory isn’t what it used to be … so much is lost in the confounding amount of things I deal with daily. My journal reminded me that God is at work … He is blessing me even as I walk through my valley. And I can see now that my valley has a decidedly upward slant to it!
One of my favorite little notebooks is full of numbered things I’m thankful for. Here are just a few:
#11 The sound of a soccer ball being booted
#32 Laughing that I just realized I started this little journal upside down and backwards
#119 Date night with Peter
#128 Allison’s mismatched socks – everyday!
#134 Lizzie wearing 3 shirts all day and how cute she looked trying to take them all off at bedtime.
#167 Crunchy gravel under my tires
#266 Friends who loan me cars
#278 Zach texting me funny quotes out of the blue
#279 Late night talks with Emma
#295 My kids making me laugh as I slosh thru my perpetually flooded basement
#354 Big smiles at the pooll
#357 The “I love you” sign from my Allison
#400 The joy Lizzie finds in reading the same Bernstein Bears’ book over and over and over…
Even as I sit here I can think of so many more things I can add to my list. I forget to be thankful so easily. In this very difficult single parent life, I’ve found that I’m much happier and peaceful when I focus on the things I can be thankful for rather than the things I want to run from. Since I can’t really run from anything, I’m learning to be grateful … and I’m finding that God is very good to me and my children.
I suppose I should avoid writing a blog entitled “sicko” – which is probably a very good thing! And maybe someday I’ll sit in front of the TV long enough to watch for the lottery commercial. Fortunately, there are more than enough blog topics that present themselves to me daily. I’m blessed by a ridiculous life which is simply code for blog fodder, and most definitely a big long list of thank yous, and journals full of God’s faithfulness.
What are you thankful for today?
Sue Birdseye is an author and communicator who shares the adventures she has on her unexpected journey of single parenting. She went from the typical “picket fence” kind of life to being a single mom to five beautiful children. She has learned what it means to be totally dependent upon the Lord and how beautiful that dependence is. Her change of life circumstances has led to a passionate desire to encourage and bless other moms no matter their life circumstances. She has been active in her community as a foster/adoptive mom and public school teacher. She has also been part of her church’s worship, discipleship, women’s, and children’s ministries. She is an avid book reader, a game night hoster, and an early morning writer. Her book “When Happily Ever After Shatters” is the story of how God stepped into her life and the lives of her children just when everything seemed to be falling apart. She hopes that her writing will encourage, bless, and maybe even make someone smile.
Hi Sue,
Thanks for sharing some details from your “thankful list”. I was inspired to start my own thankful list after reading yours, and it’s definitely changing my perspective and attitude today :o) I’m a stay at home mom with two daughters, a 3 yr. old and a 16 month old, so a lot of my list consists of being thankful that I can see their developmental stages 24/7 and all the funny, silly things they do. I heard about this site from the FamilyLife today radio show, and I’m definitely going to share it with my women’s group at church and the Mops group that I attend! Thanks so much for the encouragement along the motherhood journey!
Jane,
I’m so glad you are blessed by this site! I love it! I can’t begin to tell you how thankful I am to read all the wisdom these ladies share! And I’m so grateful that my blog inspired you this morning! God is just too good to me!
In His care,
Sue
I’m thankful I read this post this morning! The amount of things I have to be thankful for are so numerous…I love considering them, because God is so good to give us so many blessings even in the midst of our ungratefulness. Now, THAT is what I am ultimately most thankful for 🙂
Bianca,
I couldn’t agree with you more! God is so good all the time!
In His Care,
Sue
Im thankful for you Sue! Because you are an example to me. I CAN keep going. Even when it seems hopeless. God is putting your heart back together so beautifully. I cant explain how much strength it gives me to see you conquering these circumstances. Somehow, He will do that for me too.
Blessings,
Fawna