Positive, Gratitude, and Grateful

There are days when I find myself running empty.  Everyone has struggles, days of frustration, anxiety & feeling overwhelmed.  Somehow these days seem more often now that I have a toddler running amuck :) 

Over the past week, I feel that God has been telling me to be thankful & look at the positives.  He has done this through a book - Calm My Anxious Heart, a blog post - Just McGee, and a Facebook post titled Grateful Monday.  It took those three things to catch my attention, but they certainly did the trick. 

In the book, the author challenges us to list the positives and negatives in our lives.  What a great way to really sit back and look at the blessings that God has given me.  I am beyond thankful that my positives always outweigh my negatives! In the blog, the author made a gratitude list on a day that had her bogged down.  As I read through her list, I found myself mentally altering the list to things I am grateful for.  It's a great idea to sit down and write a gratitude list when you feel as if life just is not going your way.  As for the Facebook post, Grateful Monday, it made me think about what I was thankful for on that particular monday.  

This blog would not be complete without my listing the positives in my life & what I am thankful for! 

1. The knowledge that I am a daughter in the Kingdom of God - a God who is full of loving kindess, mercy, compassion & forgiveness.  A God who knows the plans He has laid for me and whose timing is far more perfect than the timeline I want for my life. 

2. My husband - a man who is my best friend and makes me laugh like no other.  A man who is a wonderful father to our son.  A man who is a hard worker & provides for his family. 

3. My son - I love watching him learn and grow.  He makes my heart melt when he smiles at me,  even when he's in trouble and he is doing his darndest to get me to crack.   (ok I can't resist posting a picture - this is a favorite of mine, and an example of that sweet smile!)

4. My family & friends - the people that know me, love me,  support me and encourage me.  They add so much to my life. 

5. Being a stay-at- home mom - in this economy, it is a true blessing indeed to be able to stay home with my son.  When I do need to make a little extra money, I babysit for 3 great kids & I get to bring my boy with me! 

These are only some of the things I am thankful for! When you take a moment on those 'empty' days, what are you thankful for?