You know those days when your children won’t stop arguing, don’t want to do their schoolwork or chores, and you’re feeling like there is nothing good in your corner of the world?

I’m sure you never have those days.

Wait.

You’re having that kind of a day today?

Stop to count your blessings.

I found I started smiling once I did, and I had more patience.

Today, I am grateful:

for a $2 garage sale roasting pan with a lid for roasting a chicken

for the chicken to roast

for broccoli to go with it–and children who like broccoli

that my husband could be home for lunch

for free matches and a few free containers of fuel, Sterno, and an emergency candle from a house that my husband went to this morning (the sellers gave them to him)

that my husband may take a listing (hurray! Okay, this is a big thing!)

for fabric, patterns, and ideas for birthday presents for the next two children’s birthdays

for warm weather and a winter gas bill that was half what it usually is, as I turned off the heat

that there is lettuce coming up in the garden

What are you grateful for today?

Similar Posts

25 Comments

  1. For my children, after 6 yrs of private school I now get to homeschool and get the good with the bad and ugly, not just the bad and ugly.That the good is so very precious!My husband, my home…

  2. Today I am thankful for many things that sometimes we take for granted……For the time to read this Blog and then some quiet time to answer …for family close by…thankfulness that I can assist family when needed with our precious grandchildren …for plentiful food …for companionship….for the beauty of the everyday around us…we just need to pause and take it in…— as we go to hang out the laundry in the sunshine on the line and brush past the garden with the scent of basil released, a beautiful flower, a glance at a nicely arrange pile of pillows, a smile, a little face looking up at you with utter trustAnd so the list could go on … Thanks to our Heavenly Father for providing for us.Greetings from Alexa in Australia ….www.Alexa-asimplelife.com…

  3. I am thankful today for… a beautiful time with a woman I admire and respect, a gift of a yogurt maker I received today, giggles and kisses goodnight from my children, a husband who works hard (even on his day off), that piece of bacon I had at dinner (yummy), and money to buy groceries today

  4. I think you were peeking in my window today:) I had a hard day. When I saw the quote, I just had to laugh, because my husband had basically said the exact same thing to me in other words earlier today! So, I was already thinking along those lines.I’m thankful for my washing machine and the many loads of laundry I washed today, in the house and not down by a river on a rock. I’m thankful for my blessed husband who knew I was overwhelmed and folded it all AND made the kids put it away tonight. I’m thankful for the kindling he chopped–2 big boxes of cedar–so the fire will start more easily in the mornings.I’m thankful for the worker who came for an hour and a half this afternoon to spend time with my foster granddaughter and patiently joined in with our “cooking lesson” and then who really seemed concerned with my granddaughter’s feelings. I’m thankful I got dinner cooked out of the deal.I’m trying to be thankful for the caseworker who made me 3 appointments for the next 2 weeks without checking my schedule first, because these are things that will really help my foster granddaughter. I’m thankful I was able to juggle things and make 2 of them work, and was given permisssion to change the other one.I’m thankful that my older daughter wants to go on a mission trip to Mexico over spring break and was able to babysit twice this week to help pay for expenses. I’m thankful that my dear friend, who moved 8 hours away, is in town and will eat dinner with us on Saturday.I’m thankful that one of my seed orders came today. It lifts my spirits when I think of spring.I’m thankful that I now have therapy appointments for all 3 girls. I finally got the 3rd one into a therapist who should be just right for her. It means 3 separate appointments, with 3 separate doctors each week, but it will help in the overall picture for their whole lives. Getting a foster child with issues brought up past issues in the older girls, since they had their own situations when young (all of my children are from the foster care system–therapy is very helpful to them in dealing with the past, present, and hopefully the future. As they grow and mature, they look at things in a new way, so additional sessions are helpful.)I’m thankful they got my blood out with a minimum of fuss at my doctor’s appointment. Often, they can’t get it and occasionally I faint by the time they do. I’m thankful that they have ways to keep me alive with modern medicine. If I had lived years ago, I would probably be in bad shape, because I struggle with diabetes. Although I am not thrilled with any of the health issues I face, I am glad they can find things before they get too bad. O.K. I’m not happy about the additional tests I have to get, but thankful that they might save me from a worse problem later. (Don’t turn 50, ladies, they start testing everything!!!) I’m thankful that we have good medical insurance.Today, I was thankful for Diet Coke. And the dollar that was in my purse. And McDonalds, where I bought it.I’m thankful our small car still drives after a friend did not see it last week and backed into the driver’s side-both doors–and totalled it. My husband is still driving it, and I have as well, although the door doesn’t open from the outside, you can get it open from the inside. We banked the small insurance settlement (old car to start with) and have a little time to try to find another one.Most of all, I am thankful for a big God who stands beside of me every minute of every day. He is my comfort and my strength, a very help in times of trouble.

  5. This has been a trying few days in my area. We had a surprise snowstorm which caught everyone off guard, dumped snow on us quickly which turned almost immediately into a 2 inch sheet of ice on all the roadways. I live in the Deep South and we never have to drive in these conditions, so we really don’t know how. Add to that no snow removal or de-icing equipment and hilly terrain and you have a recipe for a disaster. By about 6 pm thousands of motorists were stranded, 11,500 school children were in schools, unable to get home and the roads were impassable because of wrecked automobiles all over the roadways. My husband opted to stay at his office overnight because about 40 employees couldn’t get home, one son was downtown, but found a friend with an apartment a couple of blocks away from him and was willing to let him stay. Another son walked from my house a couple of miles to rescue his friend’s daughter who was still at school. So my gratitude list is simple yet specific this week. First I am thankful for all the teachers and school administrators who stayed overnight ( or 2 nights) with the children whose parents were unable to get to them. I am thankful my parents live midway between the school and me so the rescued 3rd grader (underdressed for walking in the extreme cold) could warm up, have some hot chocolate and have her jeans dried before continuing the walk to my house. (Thank you for the gloves, toboggan and extra jacket too, Mom!) I am thankful my “stuck” family members were sheltered and warm. I am grateful we could open our house to 3 people who could not make it to their home. I am thankful for food storage so I could feed our “guests” and others in the neighborhood who were caught without adequate groceries. And mostly I am grateful to live in a area where the worst conditions brings out the best in everyone. The stories of extreme generosity by individuals, organizations and business are overwhelming. As a result thousands here have new best friends. God is good

  6. So timely, my husband and I have been griping all day about chopping and freezing 10kgs of onions on our day off. Thank you for reminding me to be grateful we had the funds to buy the box, we have a warm home to chop them in, each other to cry to (we are both highly sensitive to onions), a freezer, kitchen utensils, and the internet to be reminded about gratitude! :)-Laura

  7. I’m thankful for my carpooling partner. It gives me time in the morning to relax more with the kids before they get picked up instead of rushing around trying to get everyone together and herd them into the van. I’m also thankful for the gas it saves since I only have to make one round trip to the school rather than 2. I’m extremely thankful for this blog and having my eyes opened to so many more possibilities of taking care of my family than I could come up with on my own. I’m thankful to God for all the blessings he bestows upon our family. Big things and little things…because He loves me! 🙂

  8. Today I am grateful that my dog waited patiently while I spoke briefly with a neighbor during our morning walk, that we have lots of delicious leftovers to choose from for lunch and dinner tonight, that we are experiencing slightly warmer weather here in New England, that I found a nice new sweater in a color that works well for me for $2 of my birthday money yesterday, that my husband is working from home today and we can eat lunch together, and that my son is doing well in school and is becoming a nice and thoughtful young man.

  9. I am thankful for:Kids that got ready door school without arguing.Leftover coffee.For Fridays.A loving husband that gets up hours before us and goes to work.A beautiful Victorian house (even if it is a rental).For just having enough….money, food, heat, ect.For a house filled with love!

  10. I was so overloaded when my children were growing up they learned very quickly if Momma was sick and said this is not a good day to mess with Momma they were good as gold. If I was at my wits end with them I would just shout out Purple and they knew that meant the behavior had better change. I smiled so much folks wondered what I was taking “happy pills” or something but the truth was I was so grateful for the healthy bright mostly well behaved children I had / nothing else mattered.

  11. Thanks goodness there are still people who were raised right! I also live in the South and while snow was predicted here and came later than expected, it just as easily could have been the reverse. People from other areas of the country have no idea how bad the roads get and just how bad weather shuts down this area in hours. With no plows or salt trucks, the commute in the northern areas would also be treacherous and in gridlock, I bet. Our schools dismissed early and we waited 9 hours for the snow. I had time to get some things to cook stovetop and didn’t have to go into the food storage. But, shelves were cleared in record time and the store was packed. I am thankful for the food storage and other preparations I have so that I didn’t have to worry about fuel or warmth or food during the snow. This did make me realize that my neighbors are mostly not prepared for power outages and I will need to increase my preparations to include extra for sharing.

  12. I have had kids in private school for 10 years. We will homeschool next year. This was a great comment for me to read! I am beyond excited, but also terrified. Thank you.

  13. Thankful for the bloggers that share their wisdom and time. Thankful for my Hubby who understands my health issues and my need for my dogs.For my children that will bring up some of the worst times in our lives (I was a widow raising them ) and cause us to laugh about it now. For my family and friends that understand that being together is more important than what we are doing or eating. FOR GOD, I do not know the reason I have survived what several doctors have said I should have died from more than one time, I only know, understand that I have not completed the purpose GOD gave me this life and when I do, he will take me home and I am thankful.

  14. I am thankful for a healthy body and loving family! I also went to a thrift store on Tuesday and came across a 1919 book of poetry. It was falling apart but I figured I could use it for a Valentine craft. When I asked how much it cost, I was told 25 cents, naturally I purchased it! Then the cashier offered me a roll of waxed paper and package of brown paper bags for FREE!!!! I accepted and while waiting for my mom to finish up, noticed a small bottle of my favorite perfume. I asked how much it cost and was told I could have that as well. So for 25 cents, I got an antique book, a roll of waxed paper, a package of bags AND my favorite perfume!!! THAT is a deal! I am so blessed!

  15. I am thankful for……my loving and caring boyfriend,…my excitable dog bailey…having my family close by…this blog for opening my eyes to other people’s lives and putting mine in some perspective

  16. I am thankful today for a very successful journey to the past as my cousin bought the ancient house of our grandparents and invite me to go there before she starts to make everything over. It was such a beautiful Saturday and I am thankful for her invitation and the wonderful time our families passed together, even it was a very hot day, close to 38 degrees Celsius. And I am also thankful for all the lemons, passion fruits and guavas (goiabas) we were able to glean there 🙂

  17. I’m grateful to have a roof over my head. We attended church as a family and I am grateful for that. It’s a blessing to have a wonderful husband who knows when I need help and is willing to help out.

  18. What a great post! I am thankful for the food we have been given this weekend. Cuban beans and rice, grilled sausages, macaroni cups and a dessert. Also, for my husband (who works so hard and goes to school) and my girls. The Lord has truly blessed me.

  19. I am very thankful for my relationship with the Lord…my husband and girls…for the food and shelter we have. (my friends even made us cuban beans and rice for me watching their kiddos – yummy!)

  20. For so many loving friends and family in my life: My husband, two sons, parents and my sister; For a home of a beautiful piece of land that allows us to grow so much; for the ability to live a simple life in the country.

Leave a Reply to Robert Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *