An easy place to start

 

I'm not ashamed to admit that I have been indoctrinated by Veggie Tales more than once.

Those crazy veggies are always singing about truth. And truth has a way of getting to the heart, no matter how it's packaged. After over 10 years now of hearing those guys preach it, I can say that bits of their Bible based messages are likely forever rooted in my brain. And heart.

One such nugget is from the movie Madame Blueberry. It's an oldie but a goodie. I remember receiving this DVD for free, when I signed up for MOPS when my daughter was really small, like maybe 18 months old. Because Madame Blueberry always wants more stuff, it has this catchy song on contentment and gratitude. I guess I'm on this theme lately; I talked about contentment like two posts ago. Anyway, the song says this:

A thankful heart is a happy heart.
I'm glad for what I have,
that's an easy place to start.

It's Sunday so this will be brief. Many things in my life right now are not easy. Or particularly happy. In fact, they're super complicated and confusing and potentially overwhelming. I could choose to focus on all of them. It's tempting. But a thankful heart is a happy heart. When everything seems cloudy and you don't know what to do next, being glad for what you have is an easy place to start.

I'm going to start, off the top of my head.

1. my family's health
2. the promise of snow on Monday
3. seeing the birds fly south
4. the golden birches
5. having a church to attend
6. mini pinecones
7. movie and cracker jacks tonight
8. our home
9. a fridge with food in it
10. being invited to the neighbors' for pumpkin carving
11. funny costumes
12. candy corn in a bowl on the piano
13. learning to knit
14. the omnipresence of God
15. my kids giggling
16. friendship
17. Pandora  
18. reading with my kids
19. creating stuff
20. knowing God has good plans and purposes for me
21. our new chalkboard wall
22. the sheep we pass on the way to school
23. forgiveness
24. the armor of God
25. grace

I could go on and on. Want to add to the list?

Want to start your own? I'm going to be writing a private list daily for the month of November, starting on the 1st, simply to practice having a thankful heart.

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart. I couldn't believe it more.

Thanks Jr. Asparagus.