Five things

Today is Thanksgiving.
Because Thanksgiving is about being thankful, I've been thinking of all the things I'm thankful for.  Doing that made me realize I love my life.
God has given me so much, but sometimes I can be negative and get down on life.
I will think to myself:
This is all wrong!
or
Life's not fair!
or
Why me?
When I calm down and get over feeling like that, I ask myself: How could you ever think like that?
I say to myself: This is how you  should think:

God's will be done.

 Life's not always fair, but it could be worse.

I'm God's servant;  I'll deal with anything he wants me to.

In short what I'm saying to myself is: Angele be grateful already! Start looking at the good, not the bad. Godlly women are grateful.  You have lots and lots of things to be grateful for.  You, Angele, need to be enlightened .
I hate it when I give myself a guilt trip, but it's true.  I can look at the bad before the good and that's just selfish and not what a godly woman would do.

Here's how I'll be enlightened:
There is a monastery in the East that requires the monks to begin each day by thinking of five things they are grateful for. It's a good way to keep perspective.  "Gratitude will not allow itself to share a space with any other negative feeling." (Fr.Meletios)
I'm going to do like the monks:
Every day I'll say five things about what I'm thankful for (trying to think of new things each time).

Here is my list for today:

• That my big brother came back home for Thanksgiving.
• That I have a blog.
• That my mom's a good cook.
• That God will always forgive me for being selfish.
• That I have a warm home on a cold day like today.

Here's a quote my mom tought me:

Before enlightenment:
Oh, the sorrow... chop wood, carry water.
After enlightenment:
Oh, the joy... chop wood, carry water.


I like that quote because it's a nice reminder to stay joyful, embrace life and have an attitude of gratitude for all that God has given me.



Hope you liked this post!
If you have somthing to say about this post or have any ideas of what I can blog about next please tell me!
God bless,
             Angele