Yesterday, I came back in from a morning walk and stumbled through a cluttered garage to get to the door.
Maybe cluttered isn’t really the best word.
It was a mess.
Several moving boxes from 3 years ago were still stacked up in a corner and there were countless tubs full of items just waiting for a yard sale.
I decided to tackle a little bit of the disaster, knowing that I had a few hours of time I could devote to the task.
As I waded through old books, unused kitchen gadgets, clothes my kids have outgrown, and forgotten toys- I realized I was just storing things I no longer needed or planned to use.
But isn’t that how life is, a good bit of the time?
We hold onto things, pack them away because surely, “We’ll use them at some point,” only to discover 3 years later, they’ve collected dust and cobwebs and taken up way too much space.
As I packed up donations and filled our recycling bin, my heart began to feel a little lighter.
I realized how grateful I am to have so much – because sometimes I forget.
In this crazy season we’re walking through, it felt good to pause there in the middle of my garage, with that one word on my heart: grateful.
I needed it to sink in. Deeply.
Because let’s be honest, there’s so much swirling around us these days, that instead of standing in gratitude we find ourselves stooped over with anxiety and fear.
If we aren’t careful (speaking from experience here), we can quickly get knocked off course.
We can look down at our insecurities and all the “what-if” scenarios we mommas play out; instead of up at our Creator- who is still very much in control.
We can miss the chance to be present with our girls, who are home now more than ever.
We can slip right by the moments to thank God for what we do have and countless opportunities to bless others.
It’s funny what you can be reminded of, standing in the middle of a sea of cardboard boxes!
But there was more.
In those few hours, I discovered an overwhelming sense of peace.
Stopping long enough to silence all the noise of the world, reminded me that I needed to stop being silent about the things for which I am grateful!
My family, my health, my home, my church…
So what about you?
Has your heart been so overwhelmed, these past few months, that gratitude has become tucked away in a corner of your home or your heart, collecting cobwebs?
Have you forgotten what it feels like to be overcome with thanksgiving, rather than despair?
If so, I challenge you to pull it back out. Sit with it for a bit.
Name the things you are so thankful for and offer up praise to the one who is your Provider, Sustainer, and Savior.
The One who helps you clean out the clutter of your heart to find peace and rest in the promises of His goodness and never-failing love.
Always give thanks to God the Father for everything. Give thanks to him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20 NIRV
If you’d like a 7 Day Gratitude Guide for you (and your daughter), we’d love to share one with you! It’s got a prompt, in case you need a little help and a bonus activity for each prompt as well. To get your free downloadable copy, just save the PDF below.
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