I live in a Christmas card. . .

I live in a Christmas card. I have been loving this weather. . . nothing, in my mind, is better than hanging out in my cozy home on a frozen snowy day. I can smell the coffee perking. The wood fire is warm and inviting. My children are playing or studying and snowflakes drift quietly down outside my window. I am often struck by the simplicity of my life. I love it that way. I am so blessed to be able to stay home with my family. We definitely make sacrifices for me to be able to do that but it is so worthwhile. There's nowhere I'd rather be.

So what about the days that I am crabby and discontent? Well, I'm working on that. Thankfulness is an art, and it takes sacrifice. So often I wish something were different about my life and it starts me down the road of complaining and "wishing." Then something really major (or sometimes really minor) catches me up short and reminds me to look around and take stock of my "haves" rather than my "have nots." I would love to have the discipline of the prophet Daniel in the Bible. Three times a day, like clockwork, he stopped whatever he was doing and gave thanks. He wasn't petitioning, he wasn't complaining, he was giving thanks! He wasn't giving thanks for a couple little things as a lead in to his list of requests. He was simply taking time out of his day to thank the Lord. Period. I want thanksgiving to be a normal, natural part of my life, like breathing. God is good, and He is patient with me. I'm catching on. . .