NOVEMBER 08, 2014 STORIES OF BLESSING

NOVEMBER 08, 2014 STORIES OF BLESSING

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THE KEY OF GIVING THANKS

Written 2014-11-07 11:01:20, Friday

I wanted to share some keys of giving thanks.

1 Always give thanks. Do not ever stop. 

2 Give thanks in everything.

3 Give thanks for everything.

4 Practice is the key. The more you do it, the easier and more meaningful it becomes. 

5 Write it down on the page so you can read your blessings repeatedly--and count them all over again.

6 Make it a way of life and a way to be--not something to do. 

7 Enjoy giving thanks. Allow it to make your spirit and heart soar. 

8 Steal as many blessings as you can--meaning count other peoples' blessings you can see are blessings. For instance, if someone beats cancer. If a married couple decides not to divorce. Etc. 

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LEARNING TO BE CONTENT IN ALL AND FOR ALL

Written 2014-11-07 11:16:17, Friday

My happiness, joy, contentment, faith, hope, etc. should never depend on circumstances, emotions, or people. Circumstances constantly change and so do our relationships with people. Emotions are never the same are are fleeting. Moreover, circumstances, people, and emotions will fail you far too often. 

Contentment is a choice. 

Contentment is the realization that what and who you have in the present matter most. For, they are more than enough. We just need to choose them to be more than enough. 

If you cannot be content with what and who you have now, what makes you think you could ever be content with anything or anyone else? You have already invested in the what and who you have in your life now. To move onto something or someone because you think the grass is greener on the other side with them is a lie. The grass isn't greener. It's just grass and its just green as well. 

What you have and who you have now is more than enough.

That being said, there may be some things and some people you could really weed through and see less often, invest in less, or cut off all together. But, you do not have to fill your life with more of someone or something else in their place. Rather, allow what and who you have in your life to be more than enough.

This is the secret of abundance and contentment.

If you cannot be trusted with what you have, and who you have, why should you be trusted with more or different? 

Is learning this type of contentment easy?

Hardly. 

It takes constant choice and intentionality in order to get rid of the I need something more or new mindset. 

That being said, part of our problem with learning this type of contentment lies in a misunderstanding. 

Do you know what a "need" is? 

People say, "I need coffee." "I need a doughnut." "I need my husband." "I need more money." "I need a better car or house."

A NEED is something you cannot live without. There are only three of them: Food, water, and shelter. 

That's it. Those are the only three needs we have.

The rest are wants.

Want to learn how to be content? Realize that if you have anything fancier than bread, water, and a tent, you don't deserve it and you are very fortunate. 

What does this have to do with counting your blessings? 

If you count every single blessing you have in your life today, and have in the past, will you really ever want anything or anyone more? Or, will what you have had, and what you have, be enough?

Counting our blessings reminds us how very fortunate we are--and how some are not. Counting our blessings brings perspective and contentment in and for all things. 

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COUNT THE SMALL STUFF

Written 2014-11-07 13:04:07, Friday

I've learned over the last year in particular, how it's the small stuff that is most often the biggest blessing. The small stuff may seem like small stuff at the time, but one a little time goes by, I've been able to see how huge it really was--when at the time I didn't realize.

This, by the way, is another reason to write all of your blessings on the page. If I hadn't, I am not sure if I would have remembered the seemingly small stuff at the time. However, since I wrote it down and have re-read and recounted previous blessings, I was able to look back with hindsight and see how the chess pieces of life arranged themselves and the small stuff ended up being some of the most important. If I didn't have that record, I would never have remembered those 'small' things. 

Also, the small stuff is usually the most meaningful, the most powerful, and the most life-transforming. 

Never mind how if we cannot appreciate the small stuff at the time, how can we appreciate the bigger stuff?

Make sure to count all of your blessings, no matter how silly or small it may seem. Trust me. Later, these blessings will play an important part in your life and your journey. 

Do not take anything or anyone for granted. 

And, please, get it all down on the page. 

Catch the small, medium sized, and large blessings. Count them. They will make the difference in your life. 

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THANKSGIVING AND END OF YEAR BLESSINGS COUNTED CHALLENGES

Are you taking part in either one of these challenges--where we are essentially trying to count 20 to 25 blessings each day between now and Thanksgiving and 10 per day between now and the end of the year? 

If so, let me know. Attach a comment at the end of any blog post. Let's hold each other accountable to this and talk about it--and share our stories of blessing. 

Now, I want to do a writing prompt for these challenges today:

BLESSINGS COUNTED PROMPT

Count at least five additional blessings today.

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