Grateful for All I Have ~ Lexa Fisher

Grateful for All I Have

From a friend's FB post

Our current house is half the size of our previous one and has highly limited storage space. This means we no longer shop at warehouse stores--there simply isn't room for bulk purchases. 

Lack of space has also necessitated a new rule: one thing in, one thing out. I have to give a lot of thought to what I buy, because something has to go. In with the new, out with the old, as the saying goes.

This flowchart I recently saw on a friend's Facebook page depicts the decision process that helps my purchasing choices.

Gratitude turns what we have into enough. ~~ Anonymous

Though I purchase less, I'm grateful for so much. As we reflect on all that we are thankful for later this month, it's also the perfect time to consider what we need. No doubt our needs are far fewer on Thanksgiving Thursday than they are on Black Friday.

One day we give thanks and express gratitude for what we have, and the next day kicks off the biggest shopping spree of the year. If we're so grateful, why this need to have more or to give more?

"[There are] Two kinds of gratitude: The sudden kind we feel for what we take; the larger kind we feel for what we give." ~~ Edwin Arlington Robinson

Photo by Mel Poole on Unsplash

There are many reasons to give, and not all pertain to unnecessary excesses or filling voids in ourselves. Gifts are the most common form of expressing thanks and showing appreciation to the people we're thankful for.





As I've composed this post, I've found I can reconcile the opposing ideas of gratitude for enough versus needing to express it by buying more, with this quote:

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." ~~ William Arther Ward

I struggle to find the right gift for friends and family each year. But this year I'll focus on giving holiday gifts that express gratitude to the recipient--for their support, the knowledge they impart, the love they give, or the joy they bring to my life. And, of course, something small or consumable--space considerations, you know.😀

Card by Lexa Fisher

What Are You Thankful For? ~ by Shannon Binegar-Foster

As I begin to reflect on the year, I find myself reminiscing on the things I am thankful for. Many people do this daily and often list 3-5 things each day. I am just not good at that. I might come up with a different list for a couple of days but by the 3rd day, I most often have run out of things to list. 

I am sure I am not alone in saying how much easier this task is when things are going well for us. I find that when things are not going well, or we are struggling financially I have a very hard time completing that list. 

Each year I pick a word for the year. For 2018 I chose “Limitless." I was so excited and hopeful. I launched some new products in February which were not as successful as I had hoped. I published my second book in April. I am currently finishing my third book. I have begun the time of a craft/vendor show every weekend from 11/11 through 12/15. Has my year been “Limitless,” not exactly. I had so many hopes for this year that were squashed by dismal sales. 

So when I sat down to begin to think of what I was thankful for this year the list is very short. As a 12-year Uterine Cancer survivor, I am always thankful for my health, even though arthritis keeps me from doing so many things. I know I could have it far worse. First and foremost I am thankful for my husband. He does so much for me I can’t even begin to put into words my gratitude for him. I have a great family and wonderful friends. I am grateful that I am able to brighten someone’s day with my art. My art is my happy place. That and the pool at the YW. 

So, there it is my very short list for the year. Five things. I encourage you to take the next few weeks and reflect on what you are thankful for. I will be taking the next few weeks to pick my word for 2019 and hoping I find many more things to be thankful for next year.