Gratitude Turns What You Have Into Enough - From Home.Made.

Only two days of our fabulous Gratitude series left! It's been an amazing couple of weeks and I have received so many emails from people sharing how the series has touched their lives. We have just a few more before the series comes to a close. Click here for the complete list of posts.

Hi Simply Klassic Home readers!  I’m Rhonda from home.made., where I blog about making your life and home beautiful while making do with what you have. I’m a mom, a wife, a nurse, and a follower of the Lord...I am blessed.

When Kristin asked me to be part of this series, I jumped at the chance – not only because I love the message of Attitude of Gratitude, but because I knew it would be a perfect time for me to reflect on my own gratitude in this season of thankfulness.

I have to admit, being grateful is sometimes hard, and for one very simple reason: contentment does not always come so easily.

In this day and age of internet and social media and blogging, we are constantly exposed to other people’s lives and homes and wardrobes and the perception that everyone else has things soooo great, and I don’t know about you, but I can sometimes end up feeling envious and well, not enough.  And I sometimes feel like things would be so much better if I had what they have…had a bigger home, fatter wallet, better body, whatever.

Why do we women do this to ourselves?

I know you get me on this, right ladies?  We are always so busy looking out and comparing ourselves to others that we forget to look inward to see the beauty that is our everyday.  By doing this, we are undermining our ability to be grateful for what God has given us.

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Contentment is not a destination…it is most definitely a journey that we are all on, and one that we constantly must pursue.  It requires daily introspection and discipline to strike down those thoughts of discontent and accept thoughts of gratitude.  Here’s a way to ease into this process…

Instead of:

I wish I didn’t have these stretch marks…
say I’m so thankful that my body was able to carry two children.

I wish my home were bigger…
say I’m so grateful that my home is the perfect size to always hear my children’s laughter.

I wish I had her wardrobe… say I’m thankful that my clothes have lasted so long (and still fit)!

Life would be so much better if only…say Life is good. 

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I’ve learned a huge lesson in learning to be content financially in the past year and a half as my husband and I have worked to Live Like No One Else.  There’s nothing like a stretched-thin budget to make you learn to love what you have and to let go of things/stuff in order to provide a better future for your family.

I won’t say it’s been easy, nor has it been fun; but it’s been a great process in realizing that stuff is just that… stuff.  It’s been a great exercise in prioritizing what is truly important.  And it’s been a great reminder that you can’t be thankful to God for His many blessings if you’re never content with what He’s already given you.

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I encourage you all to have an attitude of gratitude, not just this season, but every day.  The discipline of gratitude frees us from the snare of comparisons and unrealistic expectations.  The pursuit of being content and giving thanks at all times realigns our hearts and turns what we have into all that we need.

Thanks Kristin for allowing me to share this with your readers – I hope you guys stop by and say hi to me at home.made.!  Best wishes for a happy Thanksgiving full of joy!

Thanks Rhonda, for reminding us to look at what's most important!

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