40 Days of Thankfulness

I decided to "Google" 40 Days of Thankfulness. If it's caught on in the Facebook world, I wanted to see what else was out there and surprisingly enough, I found a blogger who ran across the idea and began posting her days of thankfulness in her blog. 


Today marks the 40th Day for me. 


40 Days of Thankfulness Day 40: I'm thankful for perfect timing. God's hand is always in it-a song playing on the radio at the right time with the right words to get you through the day; a check in the mail for just the amount of $ you need; a surprise phone call/visit; words spoken by a complete stranger; the wind changing course, a stop light, a hug, a smile. GRATITUDE for all things IN ALL THINGS reaps ABUNDANCE.



This has been such a cleansing and eye opening journey for me. However, even though I'm at the "end of the exercise" my attitude of gratitude cannot end here. I try to think of it more as a beginning. The 40 days was just the beginning of how my heart needs to be in each day of my life. 
As I discuss perfect timing in my thanks for today, I reflect back on my night last night and the previous day with Jason. 


Thursday: 


9:30 AM The girls leave for Thanksgiving with their dad and his family. 
9:45 Jason and I leave for a fun filled day together, in celebration, in love, and in need of not sitting in an empty quiet house. 
10:00 Cinemark - The Blind Side - what an excellent movie - no expectations of it, but I would see it again and again and most likely will add it to my "The Girls Need to Watch This" movie collection. 
12:25 Leave movie and head south to III Forks for a 3 course meal
12:45 We are seated and began giving thanks for all we have, are able to provide, and the course both of our lives have taken up to this point
2:00 We leave and head north again - time for New Moon - much better than the first, but a little disappointed it wasn't better ( The Blind Side was REALLY good)
4:30 It's Starbucks time - we barely make it before they close! 
5:00 Going to our 3rd movie of the day Precious - I was prepared for the content of this movie and, though, it was disturbing, I believe it painted a very real picture of many of the youth in our country. 
7:30 Now what? 


The whole day we had been right on time for every movie, every reservation, and even for a peppermint mocha! Perfect timing was in every move we made, every stop at a red light, every moment that danced across our day. 


We ended up at IHOP. I ordered a BLT and it came without the T. I laughed it off. After all, "T" had been our theme for the day- so had the number 3. Thursday, Thanksgiving, III Forks, 3 movies, and we never left the toll (Dallas North Tollway). 


After that we decided to get home for some sleep before the 4 AM trip to Target! 


As a complete side note, any man that can get up that early to shop with crazy people who use shopping carts as weapons, still find the good deals AND make me laugh in the wee hours - is perfect in my book. :) 


Last night after we got the girls to sleep and settled in their beds, we settled on the couch with som TV. 


Perfect timing.  Even though I have this movie - the channel that was on the screen was playing Facing the Giants. I don't care what type of movie watcher you are - this is an excellent movie with excellent scenes and a lifelong message if your heart is open to it.


God's timing is perfection. In the chaos, it IS perfection. Our attitudes reflect our hearts. Faith is going the distance BECAUSE we do not know what is ahead. 

As I watch, I realize that the main character decides (chooses) to show gratitude in every situation - win or loss, on the field or off. Once he decides to do this, his life takes an abundant turn. 


I begin thinking of this song that I accidentally stumbled upon last week:


I'm Still Yours - Kutless
When my life is not what I expected
The plans I made have failed
When there's nothing left to steal me away
Will You be enough for me?
Will my broken heart still sing?

If I lost it all, would my hands stay lifted
To the God who gives and takes away?
If You take it all, this life You've given
Still my heart will sing to You

Even if You take it all away
You'll never let me go
You take it all away and I still know
That I'm Yours, I'm still Yours



Gratitude in all things, FOR ALL THINGS creates ABUNDANCE.