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RE: Cultivating an attitude of gratitude

MrsKK — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:59:43 GMT

My wallpaper is a photo of my grandson as I saw him last - turn on his side in his crib, sucking his thumb and sleeping. That was a year and a half ago. I don't have the money to go visit him very often, but I am thankful that he has a wonderful mom and dad who love him very much.

I am grateful each day when I go out to do chores on my little farm. Even though I am tired and cold at this time of year, I rejoice in the bounty we have here. A pig and a steer and 25 chickens in the freezer, along with venison that was given to us. Veggies and fruits from the garden in the freezer and pantry. I just cut up the last watermelon...the skin was looking pretty bad, but the fruit inside is sweet and so refreshing for this time of year.

I am thankful for good friends, both locally and the ones I have found through the Internet. For people who pray for me and ask for my prayers. I am thankful that my family is all in good health, that I have a teenaged daughter who is loving and kind and that she rebels now and again, but is always willing to talk to her Mom.

I am thankful that my family has learned to reuse and repair, rather than always buying new. I am grateful that we are well into buying our home and that, even though money is very tight, we are not in danger of losign that home, as so many have recently. I am highly thankful that we live on a farm, and not in the midst of a large city.

I am thankful that I was born and raised in the best country in the world. I am thankful for my friends who come from many different cultures from all across the country and the world, as it keeps me from being small-minded. I am thankful that I get to vote for my representatives in government and that, even though the person I want in doesn't always get there, we don't have civil war break out over it. I am VERY thankful for our Armed Forces - for all who have served to keep our country strong and free.

God Bless America - and us all!

RE: Cultivating an attitude of gratitude

mystnd — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:51:50 GMT

Perhaps it's because of the nearness to Thanksgiving, but I think this is a wonderful post, Sue. My kids who are adopted have some serious behavioral issues and there are times when I wonder if anything I do is making a difference. One of the recommendations we had from a therapist was to have a "thankful jar" in which we put something (a word, a rock, a picture) that reminds us of good times. We haven't been consistent with it but I am thinking that it is time to revitalize that tradition. The idea of computer wall paper that does the same thing is wonderful. Today we are having a mixture of delightful sunshine, blue sky and HUGE snowflakes and it is gorgeous. As the birds have been migrating south for the winter, I have seen bald eagles three times from about 20' away. My oldest son called me last weekend and tells me that he is going to see a therapist to deal with his "anger"; all because he has fallen in love and doesn't want to lose her. My youngest two tell me they love me and come up for hugs and kisses all the time now. That may not sound like much but for my 13 year old who used to flinch when I touched his back, it's a small miracle. Sometimes you have to stop and look at where you are to see how far you've come. Thanks for the reminder. Mary Ann

RE: Cultivating an attitude of gratitude

WonderlandFarm — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:46:50 GMT

It's true that you really can see good sides to bad things if you look hard enough. Recently my car's water pump sprung a leak, and I had to drive my dads truck at college instead. The timing turned out to be perfect, though; right about the time I had to start driving the truck, the theatre group I'm in up here ended their show (we did Bye Bye Birdie) and my truck came in handy while we were striking the set. It made the trips to and from the warehouse and places we borrowed props from fewer, and the whole process went faster.

This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for the usual things; God, family, friends, food on the table, blessings. But I'm especially thankful that my grandparents are around this Thanksgiving; they were recently in a wreck that left my grandmother in the hospital for two weeks. The same goes for my mother, as she recently found skin cancer on her face; I'm very thankful it wasn't melanoma and that it was all successfully removed. I'm also thankful that I haven't failed my freshman year of college - so far at least! haha - and for all the friends I've made here.

RE: Cultivating an attitude of gratitude

prettypalfrey — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:51:27 GMT

My picture on my computer is of my son and daughter. My screen saver has pictures of our farm and the animals we live with. We have already had our thanks giving but I have taught myself to always be thankful even though I may forget momentarily. I am also thankful for Hobby Farm as well. All of this extra input has helped me and also showed me that there are always people willing to help. So if I forget "Thanks everyone"

Lee-Ann

RE: Cultivating an attitude of gratitude

James — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 09:56:15 GMT

In my line of work (public transportation) I have seen people who right now as I type this do not and have never had running water. I meet a lot of elderly people with no friends or family to help around the house so the home or out buildings are falling down around them. I started this job a little over a year ago, and felt poor at the time, but now I am able to see how blessed I truly am. I am thankful for too many things to list here today, but most of all my family. Thanks for the reminder.

RE: Cultivating an attitude of gratitude

Sue Weaver — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:35:15 GMT

fanky44 (11/14/2008)

Sounds like you need a radio station with no bad news...

Route6radio.com

very relaxing

Thank you! That is really cool. Wouldn't it be great if there were stations like that all around the country? :o)

Sue

RE: Cultivating an attitude of gratitude

fanky44 — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:46:47 GMT

Sounds like you need a radio station with no bad news...

Route6radio.com

very relaxing

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude

Sue Weaver — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:39:13 GMT

It seems as though everywhere we turn we’re battered with negativity. Television, newspapers, even our families, co-workers, and friends—they’re all quick to single out what’s wrong with the world around us.

The fact remains that we have countless things in our lives to be grateful for; even some of the ‘bad’ things if we study them objectively to see what lessons we’ll learn by facing our problems head on.

You probably think I sound like Pollyanna but I don’t feel at all like that today. It's raining—hard. I have a headache, I'm wet and I smell like sheep (I was shifting them from pasture to pasture when the heavens opened and I still have to feed, probably in the cold pouring rain, so I'm not showering until after I do), I have lots of writing to do tonight and very little energy to do it.

But when I plopped down at the computer, mumbling under my breath, I gave myself a wakeup call. How? By stopping to study the image on my computer’s desktop display.

Here’s what I’ve done. I’ve picked out pictures of things I’m grateful for—in most cases these are photos I’ve taken of my farmyard friends. I placed them in a folder I labeled “For desktop” and I use my PC’s Display Properties feature to change the desktop image every few days.

When I’m glum (or wet or grumpy!) or stumped by writer’s block, I sit here with my chin in my hand and contemplate. These pictures nearly always make me smile and think about the many blessings that are part of my life.

I’ll attach the picture that’s been on my desktop the past few days. This pretty Boer is MAC Goats K’ehleyr. Matt and Claudia Gurn gave her to me when she was three days old after we helped them with their goats at a production sale. She has conformation Boer owners dream of and an ennobled pedigree to match. That I could ever own a goat like K’ehleyr is blessing #1.

K’ehleyr has always been my extra-special girl. As a wee bottle baby she was ultra-cuddly and sweet and oh so smart. She even housetrained herself without our input, calling at the door when she needed to go out. The five weeks she lived in the big dog crate in our living room were sheer magic. That was blessing #2.

When we bred K’ehleyr, her pregnancy went like clockwork until the very end, then she went down with what we thought was pregnancy toxemia (but it was even worse). On an ice-encrusted day when no one was supposed to be on the roads, and while Internet friends around the World prayed and sent us Reiki, we loaded K’ehleyr in the back seat of our Honda Accord and crept the 35 miles north to our vet’s practice in West Plains, Missouri. That we arrived intact was blessing #3.

Instead of simple pregnancy toxemia, K’ehleyr had ringwomb. Her cervix wouldn’t dilate and she couldn’t give birth. The only way she would survive was with an expensive C-section that we simply couldn’t afford. My best friend, Lori Olson, loaned me the money to pay for the surgery so K’ehleyr could live. That was blessing #4.

Dr. Ulmanis completely closed his practice for the day to clear the way for K’ehleyr’s surgery. He personally sat with her for hours afterward, when it looked as though she might not come out of the anesthetic. But she did—and her twin buckling babies survived the surgery too! That was blessing #5.

I took this picture of K’ehleyr two weeks ago. She’s still (and always will be) my extra-special friend. As I gaze at her image on my computer I’m reminded of the great kindness of so many people toward me and my sweet Boer girl. :o)

It’s the time of year for gratitude and thanksgiving. So I suggest two things:

1) Find a way to remind yourself of your blessings on an everyday basis and take time to feel grateful for them. It does a lot to push away the blues and negate the negativity we’re bombarded with every day.

2) Post about the things you’re grateful for at this Thanksgiving season! Tell us a story or make a list. It’ll make you smile—and I, for one, would love to share your joy.

Sue