Attitude of Gratitude

Several weeks ago I began reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts as part of The Bloom Book Club. Honestly, I kept seeing information about this book EVERYWHERE and I had no desire to read it. In fact, after reading the description on Amazon, I desperately wanted NOT to read this book.

Which is why I knew it was needed.

All I can say is WOW, y'all. It's absolutely amazing and has changed my outlook on everyday life a great deal. I won't give away the premise in case you haven't read it but, basically, it's about recognizing beauty and His gifts to us every day of our lives.

Quite frankly, He has blessed me with so much that I absolutely do not deserve and - all too often - take for granted. Like the things I experience on mundane days aren't worth noting, which isn't true at all.

For instance, do I take the time to be thankful for a healthy child, a striking sunset, the ability to send my child to a dance class, having a job, freedom of religion, a roof over my head, the opportunity to cook dinner for my family?

Because, y'all, there are so many who don't have those things in their lives.

I complain about how much our vet bill is but, truthfully, I should just be thankful we're able to take care of these sweet animals. My busy life overwhelms me sometimes and my child may work my last nerve but I have a friend who died from breast cancer a few months ago who would have given ANYTHING to stay on this planet and have her children aggravate the snot out of her.

So I've been wrestling this through for the last few weeks and I can promise you this book - and His words through it - helped to prepare me for yesterday. As I sat in a surgeon's office with my man (who had surgery only 11 short months ago that was supposed to fix the cartilage problems plaguing him), the last thing in the world I was expecting to hear were these three words: total knee replacement.

That's what he ultimately needs as it doesn't seem that his cartilage has regenerated itself.

The problem is that he's not old enough to have the replacement as one can only have two at most in a lifetime and there's no promise as to how long each artificial joint would last. Besides, he's very active and is on his feet all day at work so odds are the joint wouldn't last him as long as older patients.

As he went for a MRI of both knees (pain in the other now from overcompensating) last night and I soothed my nerves with a Red Velvet Cheesecake Blast from Sonic (highly recommend, friends), I realized that we hadn't even come close to having a panic attack about this news.

Not even close.

Which is growth on both sides that only He can provide. We found ourselves being thankful there are injections that can get him from here to surgery with much less pain (synthetic cartilage, if you will), rejoiced that he could get into MRI the same day (which is almost unheard of) and were elated to learn he could follow up with his surgeon next Thursday. Personally I was AMAZINGLY grateful that Taylor's arm is not broken and in need of substantial rehab while we're navigating these issues again because that's the boat we were in last year.

I even found myself thanking God that we had the funds to pay all of these co-pays (instead of the rising costs of health care) and trusting that He will provide no matter what comes our way.

So, no, my life is not perfect. Some days it's so far from it that I cannot see straight. But the fact of the matter is He has provided and will continue to do so regardless of what comes our way for the man's knee ailments. Or anything else for that matter.

So I choose joy. Gratitude. Happiness.


Eucharisteo.

Because it always precedes the miracle.