Thankfulness

Lately I have been thinking about thankfulness. Probably because of Thanksgiving being last week. I have been pondering how I find myself focusing on being thankful more in the month of November than any other month. It's good to be thankful, but I want to have that focus more than just one month. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful throughout the year, I just don't think that I am thankful enough or as often as I should be. The bible tells us to be thankful in ALL things at ALL times. ALL THINGS....really? Yes, that is what it says. "in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus".  1Thessalonians 5:18  In every circumstance I am to give thanks. How can I be thankful when my family seems to always be sick? It's like a game of tag around here... One passes it to the next and then they pass it again until it comes full circle and starts again... SO tiring and frustrating! So how can I be thankful in this? I thought about that and decided that I am thankful that I have a warm home for my family, warm beds and blankets to wrap them in, hot soup to feed them, medicine I can buy and hospitals close by. Yes, it's that time of year and we are fighting weakened immune systems, but it could be so much worse! We could live out of our car and have no place to keep warm. We could live in a third world country with out access to medical care or over the counter medicines and vitamins. We are blessed to live in this country we live in! Yes, my family is fighting  a cold bug, laundry is piling up and floors need mopped, but this too shall pass (not sure about the laundry it always seems to be around =). I look around me and realize that the things I complain about are so small in comparison to what many are going through. I have my eye sight, I have use of all my limbs, I can smell and taste! My husband has a job, I get to stay home with my kids, I have family and friends who love me and most of all a God who dearly loves me and sees me right where I am at. He hides me under his wings and calls me his.  I am blessed and I am making a choice to try to be thankful and positive in all things throughout the coming year.