An Attitude of Gratitude!

This week at #TheLoft we are talking about Thanksgiving – (Food, traditions, an essay or video, or your own gratitude list. Maybe we will find some new ideas to incorporate into our celebration this year!) I would love to celebrate Thanksgiving in the UK and maybe next year I will be more organised to make this happen! Come and join us at The Loft to read more on Thanksgiving!

My Gratitude List 

I am thankful for so much and this blog post will not cover everything I am thankful for, but I think it is so important to be thankful, and to give thanks to the Lord who provides and meets our needs (Philippians 4:19)!

I am thankful for…

1) Jesus Christ dying for my sins so that I am completely forgiven in the sight of God and can have a loving relationship with the Lord

2) My husband, Joel, for asking me to marry him, loving me, caring for me, and being my best friend 🙂

3) My family who have been with me throughout my life encouraging me, correcting me, leading me, drying my tears, and laughing with me

4) Having the opportunity to travel around the USA in 2010 and see some amazing places. I started typing up some extracts from my travel journal on here, and I must get around to updating the rest, but you can read them here:

https://ruthclemence.wordpress.com/2014/09/16/usa-travel-journal-part-1/

https://ruthclemence.wordpress.com/2014/09/18/usa-travel-journal-part-2/

5) Having an education and gaining a degree 🙂

6) Quiet times with God, praying and reading the bible 🙂

7) Warm meals including a Sunday roast…

8) The smell of freshly cut grass

9) The ability to listen and watch sermons online on a range of different topics

10) Living in a country where it is not a crime to be a Christian

11) The ability to meet up with and be encouraged by other believers

12) Enjoying beautiful sunshine on our wedding day (which was predicted to be wet and thundery!)

13) Talking to my cat and watching her look back at me in amusement or annoyance (maybe both?!)

14) Staying dry and warm in a wonderful, cosy home

15) Getting through each session of chemotherapy

16) Public transport so I can see my family and friends with ease, whilst being sustainable 😉

17) Music, especially music that uplifts the soul and gives thanks and praise to Jesus 🙂

18) Having 23 wonderful years on earth so far

19) Spending time with my nan and grandad 🙂

20) Country walks

21) Chocolate and all sweet, delicious treats…

22) Cute pictures of animal – or just cute animals in general 🙂

23) Books, books, books

24) The ability to read and write

25) Having a blog to document my life, thoughts and to tell others about Christ

26) Watching a good movie with Joel and having a cuddle

27) Having friends and family that I can confide and share with

28) Medicine and health care

29) The sound of a babbling brook and a waterfall

30) A gorgeous sunrise and sunset

31) A flushing toilet

32) The garbage truck that takes away my rubbish…

33) Water to drink

34) A nice warm shower or bath…

35) The smile of my sisters when they see me after a few months

36) The warm embrace of a hug with Joel

37) Hearing my mum’s voice on the phone – or more recently, seeing her on Skype too!

38) Watching garden birds in my grandparent’s garden

39) Cuddles and conversation with Zoe (one of my sisters)

40) A happy childhood

41) Living in Devon – a beautiful county

42) Singing

43) Having the opportunity to speak on the local radio

44) Raising a wonderful amount of money for the Ebola Crisis in West Africa

45) Volunteers

46) Charities that help others

47) The sound of the piano

48) Flowers 🙂

49) A nice cup of tea 🙂

50) My nan’s wisdom

51) The comforting smell of my grandparent’s home

52) Being able to visit my family and spend time with them

53) Long-distance friendships that continue to flourish

54) All the times I was told ‘no’ in order to help me learn something

55) All the times I was told ‘yes’ in order to help me learn something

56) IPhones, MP3’s, Walkman’s etc. so I can hear music on the go

57) Pancakes

58) Joel singing

59) Memories

60) Photo’s and photo albums

61) Toothbrush and toothpaste 🙂

62) The seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter)

63) Mince pies at Christmas time and other food just for this time of year

64) Being ‘all clear’ from cancer for 3 years running

65) Bare feet on soft carpet

66) Meeting lovely people from around the world

67) A good wi-fi connection 🙂

68) The fragrant smell of the diffuser in the living room (vanilla currently)

69) A cool breeze on a hot day

70) Abba – thank you for the music

71) Watching Zoe progress and overcome obstacles with her disability

72) The air in my lungs

73) Long walks with my husband 🙂

74) Setting up a fundraising group for Oxfam in Exeter and watching it take shape

75) Reminiscing with my family and friends about times gone by

76) God showing me Himself in new ways through His Word

77) Receiving mail from loved ones

78) The Bananagrams anagram game – thanks Joel 🙂

79) Blue skies

80) Keeping in touch with people across the world through the web 🙂

81) Umbrella on a rainy day

82) My slippers

83) Central heating on a cold winter night

84) The ‘Holidays are Coming’ Coca-Cola advert

85) Comedy :’)

86) Friendly neighbours

87) Listening to my brother-in-law speaking about politics and faith (not necessarily at once!)

88) Worship music on a Sunday

89) Church family

90) Solid teaching and pastoral care at church

91) The wonder of the universe

92) The smell of lavender washing powder on clean clothes

93) Spell check when typing 🙂

94) Youtube so I can watch cartoons and programmes from my childhood 😀 (ChuckleVision, The Lampies, Pokemon etc)

95) The countryside

96) Peace and quiet!

97) The sound of the wind through the trees

98) Electricity

99) Landscape art hanging on the wall

100) Ornaments and cute little things I can slowly clutter the house with 😉

Can you think of a gratitude list?