What are you thankful for?

I thought as a start to this journey where I share my thoughts, my hopes and my aspirations to the world online I would start with some things I shared with my Sunday school class this week. It seems like a good JUMPING OFF POINT.

This past week I was grateful for Amazon.com. We ordered Christmas presents early and some of the things we ordered were books. If we’re being totally transparent, I actually got the books for Christy and myself. Then we wrapped them up and disguised them as presents! When the kids open them, and move on to a toy or computer game, Christy and I will have new books to read. :)

I am also thankful for nerf basketball hoops. I actually got the nerf basketball hoop at the dollar store as a gift for my nephew, but decided instead to put it in my office. Man, I love these things. I have had 3 “tournaments” in my office since putting it in and always win with my “take two steps, spin around once, bank it off the wall and the certificate of appreciation, nothing but net” shot. You know what I realized? Happiness is not the byproduct of bigger or better toys. Happiness is finding joy in the simple pleasures of life. It’s not getting what you want. It’s enjoying what you have!

I had my normal quota of stress last week. I had my fair share of issues and problems. But last week was one of my best weeks in recent memory. You know why? Because I realized that your focus determines your reality. I was looking for things to be grateful for and when you’re looking for things to be grateful for you don’t have to look too far!

I look at worship this way too. Worship should be a reflection of us living in a state of gratitude. I know that I am way too guilty of ignoring all the things I have to be thankful for and drilling in on the pet peeves and the problems and the things that beat us all up. But by starting this BOLG, you will always get to read about something that I am thankful for. I am sure I will use this arena to VENT and BRAG and all of those things that make us human. But I feel you and I weren’t created to worship and vent and brag about ourselves. We were created to worship God. Someone so much bigger and so much better. I don't want to get caught up in the negatives, I hope you won't settle for anything less! THAT IS THE VIEW FROM MY WINDOW.