Gratitude

Oh how I am craving and desiring an attitude of gratitude despite circumstances!

When was the last time you were with somebody who is experiencing a difficult situation and doing so with ease and grace? Isn’t it contagious?

Recently, I hosted a bridal shower. It was perfect in my book…not because of the festivities and fun, but because of the simple lesson gleaned from the morning.

So many of us seem to mingle with our peers. The ones that are close to our age…friends that have children close to the ages of our children, friends we enjoy spending time with that have similar tastes…but on this special day there was a wide range of ages. There were the young girls, the middle-aged mommas and an elderly Gramma…the one with wrinkled hands, a dressy outfit and glasses. A Gramma filled with wisdom that only comes from living a long life that has held colicky babies, washed laundry by hand and who has learned the value of gratitude through the most difficult of times and the best of times.

As we finished our brunch and gathered for the bride-to-be to open her gifts, it struck me at how different every.single.gift was. There were big gifts, neatly wrapped gifts with bows and frillies, gifts that had been placed into gift bags with recycled tissue paper peaking out of the top and one small box with a handmade card with the most beautiful handwritten message to the bride.

Inside the small gift box were two myrtle wood candle holders with cash rolled up to resemble candles.

This heartfelt gift was given by the Gramma of the group. She is no longer able to drive and get out to purchase gifts, but she had stashed away a few of these candle holders years ago. She assured us they were NOT re-gifted. As I listened to her apologizing about not including the candles, I wanted to hug her and cry!! I know she had no idea that she had most likely contributed the sweetest gift of the day!

As she explained that the money could be used to purchase the color of candles the bride would like, she asked to have everybody’s attention, because she had a question. She clearly already had our ears. She was curious how many of the married ladies took time to make candle light dinners for their husbands. Very few hands popped up. After I reluctantly raised my hand, it came to me that I made candle light dinners for my family, but not as much for my hubby. She then saw to it that we all knew how important it was to do so! What amazing wisdom!

Here after all these years…she was a wise woman to share the gratitude she had for the love of her life! We all have different schedules, and excuses why it may not work, but ladies try it!

It may not be at dinner, it may mean getting up early and having candle light for two minutes over a bowl of frosted flakes with teenagers still in bed or a rootbeer float and candle light while the children are playing in the yard. It is showing gratitude to your hubby for the the hard work he does in providing a shelter for you and for your family. It is being a content wife no matter what the circumstances. The lawn may be filled with wild edibles {weeds!} and your home may be in the process of being painted and the honey-do list may be a mile long, but I challenge you to take the time to make your home a shelter that he looks forward to coming home to at the end of a long hard day. Forget the projects and enjoy an evening together.

As the shower ended, I was filled with joy for he guests that filled my heart, the little box, the candles and the attiude of gratitude that was quite plain, yet extraordinarily beautiful with a life lesson that will flicker every time I light a candle for my family and for the love of MY life.



"GRATITUDE TURNS WHAT WE HAVE INTO ENOUGH"

Happy Tuesday!





shared with:  growing home

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