My cup runneth over

When you have a day that you think you don't need Grace and God shows you otherwise, you start thinking about the grace and the gifts that keep coming, even when you aren't counting them. And when you get all negative and pessimistic and your friend tells you, "You really are doing a good job, you are improving, you just need to start taking note." And when it's November, the month of giving thanks and you know that there are NO coincidences in God's writing of your story, then you STOP and take note...

Here's what I wrote in my journal on Friday... "November seems as good a time as any to start counting again, to notice the gifts, to celebrate the little successes. Focusing on the positives and keeping the glass, not just half-full, but FULL and overflowing because in Christ, my cup runneth over."

So I opened my gratitude journal (started over a year ago, but laying stagnant for some time) and I began to count again.

It's funny when I look at my list and think that some of these things are "shallow" thanks... because how many times can you be thankful for homemade pizza and hot tea (or coffee) and sunshine and jewelry that makes me smile and pancakes...

But the truth of the matter is, just like we can never have too much grace, we can never have too much thanks. Because when you stop being thankful for the everyday things, the discontent begins to grow and the negativity settles in and the joy disappears and your cup is half empty... or bone dry.

~A new recipe... Chocolate Brownies from Bread and Wine
~making homemade pizza for dinner
~drinking pumpkin spice tea
~Saturday morning traditions of pancakes
~Freeset bangles
~mild temperatures and bright sunshine
~the colors of autumn
~playing Scattegories with friends
~a clean kitchen
~being my 5YO's "favorite mommy"
~clean laundry
~reading time with the little ones
~endless supply of hugs and kisses from my kids

and I'm counting again! And I'm thankful that my cup runneth over!

Is your cup running over? What are you thankful for today?