Thanks for..?

I try to be a thankful person, even not at Thanksgiving. I often fail. I find myself complaining about things not being "perfect", or people falling short of what "I" think they should do. Most of my complaining is done silently, but that means that God can hear my ungrateful, and thankless thoughts, even when I never voice them. When asked what I am most thankful for, my answer will inevitably be health. I am so very very very thankful to God for the health of my husband and kids, as well as my parents and siblings. At my house we rarely have stomach flu, and will have colds maybe a handful of times over the course of a year. My kids seem to be particularly resistant to getting ill, and are usually quickly over it when they are not feeling well. We have a number of friends and acquaintances who have sick children, and my heart constantly goes out to them. There is no feeling like a mothers feeling when her child is sick.. A father's feeling comes close though. :) This thanksgiving I asked my kids what they were most thankful for. My 4 year old daughter was thankful for the bunkbed I made her stuffed kitty and stuffed doggy this week. My 3 year old was thankful for toys. :) My 6 year old was thankful for Jesus living in our hearts, and insisted that his was the best answer of all. :) I try to encourage all my kids to speak up and support each others answers without favoritism, but it IS hard to argue with that response. To be thankful for God's plan for salvation. For sending his Son to die on the cross. For Jesus' willingness to lay down his own life and take our sin upon himself. For the Holy Spirit infilling, that we may live our lives with the power and guidance that God has provided us. Not just at thanksgiving, or Christmas, or Easter, but all the year through. Let us strive to be grateful for the new life we have, and not to take Christ's death for our sins for granted. As I walk more in the Spirit, I have to take control of my complaining thoughts, and redirect them to become thankful...

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer" ~Psalm 19:14