Options - Choices if you will.

This morning I after family prayer and Ty had left for work, the kids were back in their beds and I climbed back into mine but my mind wouldn't shut off. As I lay there gears spinning, thoughts churning about different things going on in my life, I realized I was slowly spiraling downward. Not a good thing. I thought maybe if I got up and got in the shower I could turn things around.

As I stood there under the warm water, negative thoughts still flowing around me I realized something.

Today is November 1st

November. The month that we celebrate Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving. Giving Thanks. Gratitude.

And here I was,

I had just had a good nights sleep, safe and comfortable in a warm bed, next to an amazing man. I had been able to kneel down surrounded by family and have family prayer while the rain fell and the temperature outside dropped. Here I was standing under a flow of clean water at just the perfect temperature...

taking it all for granted.

I was CHOOSING to focus on those negative thoughts. Choosing to fall deeper into that downward spiral.

That was when I remembered last November. When I had started up an event called "A Month of Thanksgiving" on Facebook. I even tried to do that here on the blog.

So I decided, I CHOSE if you will, to focus on the things that I had to be thankful for. I got out of the shower, fired up the old computer, logged on to FB and proceeded to make this November like the last. I created another Month of Thanksgiving event for this year and started to focus on what I am thankful for.

At 7:25 a.m. as I am adding friends to the invite to this event, I realized that none of the kids were up. Jona's school starts at 7:45. I went upstairs and got things moving. He stepped out of the car in front of the school at 7:40 while finishing up a piece of cold pizza for breakfast and a pocket full of mints so his breath didn't stink. The traffic getting out of there was intense so I took a longer route home.

George and McKenna had left while I was dropping Jona off. Their classes start at 8:15. The phone rang at 8:10. George had left his binder that contains everything he needs for each class at home. So out into the rain (which was coming down much harder now) I went to take George's binder to the school.

side note: the kids get one "free pass" where I am willing to do something like this for them

Even with the creation of that event and the reminder to be thankful I was STILL having to really work at not focusing on the negativity. I felt like some sort of magnet for the negative today.

But I'm not a magnet. It's an option that I have available to me.

I have the ability to CHOOSE to focus on the negative or on the positive. No one is forcing me either way.

It's my choice.

And boy howdy am I thankful for that choice.

So as I start off this Month of Thanksgiving I'm thankful for Choice and my ability to choose.

What are you Thankful for?

Care to join me as I strive to be thankful this month?

If you do feel free to take this button.

Feel free to share.

The world needs more than one day of Thanksgiving. Don't you think?