Unusual Gratitude

Charina Urban
Nov 25, 2016
2 min read

The past few weeks I have found myself overwhelmed, flustered, and at times very worried. Needless to say, focusing on the things I am thankful for and expressing those things through words has been a slight challenge. However, I have to choose to believe there is beauty in the breakdown. I am choosing to believe joy will always follow sadness, healing will always follow pain, and there is always, always, always something to be thankful for.

So in no particular order, here are some things I am thankful for this year.

1. I am thankful for the pile of hospital bills marked "paid". It means we are financially stable.

2. I am thankful for sleepless nights, a permanently sore shoulder, and constantly washing bottles. It means I have perfect baby boy to hold, love and watch grow up.

3. I am thankful for goofy snap-chats and craft nights. It means I have good friends to do life with.

4. I am thankful for a messy bed and a hot pot of coffee every morning. It means I have a loving husband to sleep next to AND wake up to.

5. I am thankful for daily homework. It means I am capable of working towards a masters degree and making a better life for my family.

6. I am thankful that my heart always aches a little more during the holiday season. It means I have a family that I love enough to miss.

7. I am thankful for the hundreds of protests and discussions on Facebook. It means we have freedom of speech.

8. I am thankful for mail marked from California. It means that distance is not a hindrance to a great friendship.

9. I am thankful for dirty floors I have to vacuum almost daily and dog hair on the couch. It means I have pets to cuddle with and love on.

10. I am thankful for doctors and advancing medicine. It means my momma is gonna be just fine.

11. I am thankful for a gym with nasty orange carpet full of people every Sunday. It means I have a place to worship God and a church family to grow with.

I invite you to look for the joy in every moment and in every challenge. Even some of the most mundane and seemingly annoying parts of life can reveal some of God's biggest blessings.