Grateful Resolution

Happy New Year!

First day of the year!!!  A clean slate.  An actual “Do-Over”.  A day when my resolutions will be 100% successful!

This year, though, I simplified my resolution(s) to simply count my blessings all day long. Also, to be joyful; to be kind; to have a spirit that dances; and to be thankful for every good and bad thing that happens to me.
I want to have an Attitude of Gratitude, and be thankful for all the things I love in my life.  I also will be thankful for all the bad things.  Little trite phrases come to mind, when I say that.  Like, “Behind every cloud there is a silver lining.”  “When you get lemons, make lemonade.”  If I get a red light when I am desperately in a hurry, I want to take that moment to be thankful for the red light, to slow down and “smell the roses.”
I have many blessings! 

At first, when I was starting this about two weeks ago, I thought - Hoo Boy, I only have about five blessings to count.  But then I got started being thankful for each blessing and more popped into my head.  I listed my Mechanic Man, my sons, my daughter-in-law, my grandtwins :) and my cats.  Oh, then being thankful for the really beautiful sunsets we have had lately (and thankful I caught a fantastic shot with my cell phone) (being thankful for my cell phone).  Then there's all my friends both in person and on Facebook and The Spokesman Review's Huckleberries Online and Community Comment.  Babies.  The scent of Lilacs.  The crunch of my feet on icy grass.  The taste of cold, cold water from the tap.  And it goes.

I encourage you to count your blessings.  If you are having worries or feel despondent (as the Holidays tend to make people crazy), stop your thought and start counting your blessings.  You'll find that pretty soon you are taking what was a problem or worry and turning it into a blessing to be thankful for.  There's no room for negative thoughts if you are spending all your time thinking positive thoughts.

I want you to feel joy welling up and a dance in your feet as you go into the New Year. 
Blessings!

~ Jeanie

No Resolutions Necessary

As the New Year appears right around the corner, I can honestly say, for 2012, Thank God That’s Over.  And I mean, I pray thanks to God that this year is over.

Not that I’ve had a bad year, mind you, but I believe I have walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.  And true to His Word, God was with me the whole time.  I came out of that walk with a new purpose. 

I started having severe health problems in June – ending up with two separate (but identical) bacterial staph infections of my heart.  In between these very serious, life-threatening illnesses, I got well enough to have my over-grown kidneys removed (and the one little cancerous cell, to boot).

After six weeks of recuperating from surgery, the second staph infection attacked, damaging a little hole in my heart.  I ended up having open heart surgery to patch that hole and to clean up bacteria that had settled on one of my heart valves. 

I think it’s possible that everything that happens to us, happens for a reason – a gift, a lesson, a blessing, something positive.  I have a new attitude – and that is an attitude of gratitude.  I am thankful that everything happened because it changed me.  I am kinder to friends and strangers.  I am patient with people who struggle with little things (like the lady in front of me at the store, fumbling with no success to get her receipt and cash and change back in the appropriate places in her purse – mainly because I know that I am the next lady in line that is going to be doing that same finger dance until I am so frustrated that I just toss the whole wad into my purse knowing that the next time I have to pay for something, I’ll have to wrestle wrinkled receipts, twisted dollars, and loose change before I get to my wallet).  I talk to God more.  I ask when I need help.  I am thankful for the help I receive.  And I praise God for being so awesome.

Bring on the new year!  I have no resolutions to make.  They were made for me by circumstances beyond my control.  I came out of the shadow of death and feel like I’m standing on top of a mountain.

So, bring on the new year and whatever roller-coaster ride it becomes!  I’m on it!