Count Your Blessings!

I was recently inspired by a post my friend Donna wrote to stop and really think about all of the blessings in my life. Sometimes a casual word or gesture is all it takes to really make someone's day. I spend so much of my time wrapped up in my own little world of insecurities, whining, and "keeping up with the Joneses" that I often forget to step out of my little box and really see what's going on with the rest of the world.

When you sit down and do that, things really come into perspective.

One of the things I really struggle with is feeling inadequate in comparison with many of my amazing friends. Friends who always look so fit and put together, friends whose homes could be featured in Better Homes & Gardens (and not in the "before" shots!), friends who spend oodles of time teaching their kids and loving it, friends whose Martha Stewart skills put me to shame!

But when I stop to truly contemplate my life, there are sooo many blessings that God has bestowed on me. Blessings I certainly do not deserve! So today, I am making a list of ten things I am grateful for right this second, right off the top of my head. I encourage you to post something as well, or leave me a comment. On Saturday or Sunday, I'll post a link to your post or I'll just include them in my post. Today is a day to be thankful!

"This is the day that the LORD has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" - Psalm 118:24

1. My sweet husband who is always willing, no matter what, to drop everything he's doing to help me!
2. My two beautiful, smart, funny little girls who love me unconditionally-->No matter what my hair looks like in the morning.
3. My mom. She has made it through the loss of two husbands, and is an amazing example of a strong, Christian woman who trusts in the LORD!
4. A house to live in. It's not always House Beautiful, but it's a roof over our heads!
5. Inspirational friends. Whether you are a new friend I've met through blogging, or an "old" friend I know in my *real life,* I am so grateful for you! Your encouragement means more than I can say!
6. T's job. He might work an awful lot and have an odd schedule, but it's a secure job and it pays the bills. Can I get an Amen?
7. TiVo...this may seem odd, but God sure made the TiVo for me. I don't always get to watch TV when my favorite shows are on, so it's a blessing to me to be able to sit and fold laundry and watch The Biggest Loser and fast-forward through commercials. Yay, God!
8. Food in the fridge/pantry. It might not always be exactly what the fam was hoping to dine on, but He provides us with sustenance. Do you think that Annie's bunny crackers are a little bit like manna?
9. Creative Outlets. Hopefully without sounding too corny, I feel like He led me to blogging, in a way. I have to get up a lot earlier in the morning to have the time to do it, but for me it's worth it to have some creative time to myself. Having my own blog, even if I'm the only one who reads it some days, makes me feel like I have somewhere to express my thoughts and feelings...sometimes the hubs just doesn't get the way a girl thinks! Plus, it's a great way to catalog all the craziness that goes on in the T household.
10. Nap time--not for me...for them. It's two hours I have every afternoon to catch up on MOPS stuff, check email, wash the dishes, run some laundry, and eat lunch without someone hanging on my leg and asking for the "BaBa" book or crackers.

So there's my list for today. Maybe it's not the deepest, most emotional list of things I am thankful for, but it's just a few of the things I feel like God has blessed me with.

{What about you?}