A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

Today I'm focusing on the gentle reminders I have surrounding me...

1) I'm thankful for the post I wrote regarding my focus word for 2011. Since I wrote it, I've been trying to be more mindful of the munchkins when they ask me to do something w/ them. Instead of just saying, "Not now" or "Later," I stop what I'm doing & focus on them. I'm still not doing it as often as I should, but it's definitely a start.

2) I'm thankful for the rosary hanging on my van's rear view mirror & the pro-life bumper stickers on the back of the van. They are gentle reminders to be mindful of my actions & words when driving.

3) I'm thankful for the Mother Theresa quote I have on our kitchen chalkboard: "Live simply, so that others may simply live." It's a gentle reminder that I don't need a lot of "stuff" & that many of the excess we have can be given away so that others can have a better quality of life.

4) I'm thankful for all the wonderful Catholic images we have around the house. They are gentle reminders for so much...the love our God has for each of us, the nudge to make good choices, that He is watching all we do no matter where we are, etc. I could go on about all the reminders that come from these items!

5) Most of all, I'm thankful for the family God has given to me. He has placed them in my care & while I'm not always the model of a perfect wife & mother (who really is?), I know that they were chosen especially for my care. If ever I want to see the face of God, all I need to do is look into their beautiful faces & He is there!