Tuesday, November 1, 2011

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?






12 comments:

Kristina P. said...

I love this post, Shanna. I need to do better at giving thanks as well.

Barbaloot said...

Thanks for sharing and for the reminder. I'm grateful for all the fall leaves today. And that October is over. And that my shower is also the perfect temperature:)

Pedaling said...

got the invite. thanks.
I will be sharing thankful thoughts along with you throughout the month.
so much to be thankful for---why let ourselves get caught up in the negative! Here's to a wonderful month and year and life of gratitude!

tammy said...

Great idea. You're right, we have choices on how we look at our life and if we choose to see our blessings or not.

Erin said...

This really is lovely, Shanna. I appreciate these thoughts, and I will continue to think about it over the next month!

Julie said...

I've seen this happening around the blogosphere and facebook several times today, but for some reason yours was the one to inspire me to do it myself. I think it will be via private journaling, but I will do it. Thank you.

Emmy said...

You are right, it is a choice. Thank you for this post.

wendy said...

That's why I CHOOSE to read your blog. You inspire me.
I will be sure and make myself focus on what I am grateful for this month (although It will be hard...)
So maybe that is an especially important thing for me to do right now eh.

mCat said...

Fantastic post! Right now, coming off the wedding high, it's easy to feel grateful, but I know it won't last and I am going to need to make better CHOICES about my thoughts and attitude

mCat said...

Fantastic post! Right now, coming off the wedding high, it's easy to feel grateful, but I know it won't last and I am going to need to make better CHOICES about my thoughts and attitude

mCat said...

Fantastic post! Right now, coming off the wedding high, it's easy to feel grateful, but I know it won't last and I am going to need to make better CHOICES about my thoughts and attitude

Diane said...

I needed to read your post today. I have been stewing and fretting about something and it is getting me down. I need to remember how many things I am really thankful for.