Today, I’m grateful for gratitude.
Focusing on a lifestyle of gratitude this month has been altering in an amazing way. I’ve found myself less frustrated with irritating small things. More aware of “small” blessings.
This video was shown at my church last Sunday. I wanted to share.
Preparing for the holiday season as I also continue learning about ministries like Compassion and Amazina, the sponsorship organization run by Katie Davis, whom I mentioned a day or so ago, has opened my eyes to the fact that I have enough. Beyond enough, I have excess. And I’m excessively blessed.
Today is America’s unofficial holiday Black Friday, when the country is focused on shopping, whether focused on the deals they’ll find as they venture into the throng or the throngs they’ll avoid by staying home. I’ll be working, so not out looking for deals but not avoiding crowds either! I was offered the opportunity to go out before or after my shift at work, but I can’t bring myself to venture into the shops, even for good deals. I love getting the most for my money, but when I chaos is more than I can handle. And there’s nothing I need. I want good deals. I want a new sweater. I want a pair of $20 boots, but need?
(And this is in no way a guilt trip for those who enjoy the day! Go at it. I used to loooove the energy of the shops on this day. Maybe I’m just old. I think I’m going to put on my pjs and watch a movie after work 🙂 )
I am so grateful for the fact that anything I need is at my fingertips, and really, anything I want can be, if I’m willing to make it happen. But I’m also grateful that the Lord has been teaching me the difference between the two. I’m grateful for my parents who have always been good about teaching me the same. I’m grateful that enough is enough, in the best, most blessed way possible.
I think of Anne Shirley, standing on the bridge with Gilbert, placing her hand in his and saying, “I don’t want diamond sunbursts, or marble halls. I just want you.” Anne knew that true Joy stemmed not from things, but from relationship.
An aunt recommended a book called 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker. I am excited to get my hands on a copy and read it, though I’m slightly nervous about the conviction it will bring. The best lessons are rarely comfortable, but I’m learning that simplicity is freeing. And enough is enough. (But I’m going to have a hard time if I start feeling like I ought to pare down my book collection.)
xo, Breanne
Do leave a comment if you’ve read any of Hatmaker’s books or if you know of any other books on the subject that you think I may enjoy!
Today is the day of national gratitude, friends. But the practice thanksgiving didn’t originate with America, with the pilgrims that long-ago harvest. Today, I encourage you to remember the words of David, in Psalm 100:
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
   Worship the Lord with gladness;
   come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
   It is he who made us, and we are his;
   we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
   and his courts with praise;
   give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
   his faithfulness continues through all generations.
May your Thanksgiving Day be full of fellowship and family, a day to recognize the blessings of our Almighty God, and may that attitude of gratitude remain within us throughout this coming year.
xo, Breanne
When I was just a wee one, my mom signed me up for a group keyboard class. Followed by 8 years of piano lessons until my teacher moved away. Followed by three years of harp lessons including intensive theory classes until I left for college. I was immersed in melody and sheet music, and while I didn’t love the practice time, I loved the music.
Not only did I play, but I listened to music constantly. Over a hundred hours of logged classical-music-listening hours for extra credit in my music appreciation class (I earned more points in extra credit than the class was worth–I think the teacher added a cap after that semester). I listened to the radio and cd’s and my iPod. And in college, I found out that Pandora had a 40 hours/month limit, which I wasn’t pleased about.
That limit was lifted. I rejoiced.
Music plays strongly into my life. Notes motivate and encourage, soothe and calm. Worship music centers me. Soundtracks drive me. When I drive, and I don’t enjoy driving, music helps me focus and keeps me from getting too anxious or irritated when driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Jon Mclaughlin is always a good idea.
(gratuitous Mclaughlin. I could listen all day. I often do, actually.)
When music contains a memory, the space in between the notes reaches deeply, able to reach emotions and memories in a unique way. When I hear a song that was a “summer anthem” for my friends and I in the past, I’m tempted to roll down my windows and crank up the volume, reliving that memory with them.
Or a song that soothed my loneliness my first year at college away from home brings just a hint of that bittersweet memory.
Listening to Jon Mclaughlin brings memories of friends and concerts, besides the fact that his trilling, playful piano performances delight me in every sense.
And even as I write this post, Pandora’s playing in the background. I’ve been alternating between Hans Zimmer’s soundtracks and Christmas music. Before Thanksgiving. I know. I know.
But the nostalgia wrapped up in Christmas music is too sweet to only listen to for a few weeks out of the year.
Over the past year, I’ve been following the story of Baby Beckett, my cousins’ cousin’s baby, born with a serious heart problem that kept him in the hospital for the first several months of his life, with quite a few major operations on his tiny infant body. But instead of my clumsy summary, check out this video of his story (and I dare you to not be charmed by his smile):
My favorite line from the video is when Jonathon said, “We are so very blessed, not just because we had a favorable outcome, but because God is using our son, our story in profound ways, and we are just blessed to be a part of that.”
From praying over Beckett and keeping up with his miraculous story on their blog, Heart of Beckett, two Truths have been impressed into my heart: 1) God is always in control and using our lives for His glory, and 2) this moment is the only one we’re guaranteed, so use it wisely and immerse yourself in the blessing of now. Also, God works miracles today. Don’t ever believe differently.
Keep Beckett in your prayers as he continues to grow and strengthen. Pray for his parents, who continue to trust God to care for their precious baby boy.
Also, take a second to vote for Beckett in the Gerber baby photo contest–see the resemblance? 🙂 https://www.facebook.com/Gerber?sk=app_586462271392312&app_data=265400
#ODAAT (One day at a time) #GoBeckett!
xo, Breanne
A Quest for Truth (and Sprinkles) 