Life is tough. That is not breaking news. Things go wrong and it is easy to always focus on the bad things. There was a period of time when I felt that nothing could go right in my life. I found a jillion bad things to focus my energy on, just further proving how sucky things were. It has taken a conscious effort over a long period of time to realize that life is really pretty good. I mean really, there is so much to be thankful for everywhere I turn. A few years ago I was having a really bad night and I just decided I needed to list things in my life that I can count as a blessing. As I was typing them into a notepad on my phone, I realized that the list was just growing and growing. It was probably around this point that I realized that it is all about how you focus your attention. If you want to think that things are bad, then go ahead and list all of the bad things. There are probably a lot…life is tough. But spending even just a little bit of time thinking about things to be thankful for will really change a person’s outlook.
This Thanksgiving season, I decided it would be a good idea to create a Thankful Garland where we will put one thing we are thankful for a day from now until Thanksgiving. It wouldn’t hurt to do this all the time, but I already have a 365 day commitment and I really don’t need another one.
For my garland, I cut some leaves out of fall-colored paper on my Cricut. I then punched little mini holes in them with a mini hole punch that I just got from the Target clearance section for $1.48. (I love a good bargain) I also cut a turkey out for the center of my garland for cuteness sake. It is not very picturesque at this current time because there are just 2 leaves and 1 turkey on it so far, but by Thanksgiving it should be nice and full of thankfulness.
You get a good view of my mantle this way, but I feel that I should explain some things. The pictures are arranged in a way so that husband and wife sculpture has a little nook to stand without blocking any pictures. But then I started jousting this past August and I got fourth place twice, so now I have 2 trophies that I am not sure what else to do with at this point. Then I also have a horseshoe crab shell up there because I keep forgetting to take it to work to show the kids. That is why things look a little out of whack and spaced unevenly. Also, you may notice my fall tree from a few weeks ago. It fits with my Thanksgiving motif, so I will leave it up there for a while.
Total cost:
$0
Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for that is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:5
365 Days of Pinterest 