Gratitude

It's so easy to forget how fortunate we are compared to so many people in the world.  It would be easy to look at our lives and think, "My house isn't as big as..., my car isn't as new as..., my vacation wasn't as exotic as..." and completely overlook the enormous blessings we DO have.

I'm trying to instill gratitude in my children, so that they will always be thankful for what they have, not envious of other's possessions or abilities, especially as they have had enormous advantages themselves.  During bedtime prayers we thank God for my husband's job, which he loves and excels at; our home, which isn't new or huge, but meets all our needs; the communities we're a part of at our church, school and clubs; our family; living in a free and democratic country with access to food, healthcare, education and opportunity.

For whatever reason, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all my blessings whenever I fold towels.  Crazy, I know.  Hear me out though.  As I'm folding towels I think, "I have so many towels that we can't even use them all at the same time."  I own UNNECESSARY TOWELS!  Not only do I have more towels than I can possibly use at once, I have a cupboard in my hallway to store the extra towels.  How ridiculous is that?!  A cupboard with the sole purpose of storing unused towels!  There are people who don't know where their next meal is coming from or where they will lay their head that night, and I have a cupboard in my house that's stacked with clean, colour-coordinated towels.  It's an embarrassment of riches.

What fills your heart with gratitude?