The Secret to Contentedness

Last Sunday, the pastor said something that stuck with my husband and I. He said that people who aren't content aren't thankful. (Something along those lines- I forget his exact wording.) The point is that contentedness and thankfulness go hand in hand.  I have been dealing with some discontent in my heart and attitude lately, so when I reflected on this statement by the pastor, I felt rather surprised. I thought I was a thankful person. In general, I am not a person to complain or dwell on the things that I don't have; rather, when I think of something I wish I had (like a washer and dryer in my home) I try to think of how much more privileged my situation is than so many others (i.e. at least I have access to a washer and a dryer unlike many impoverished people in other countries).I thought about it some more. I may feel thankful, or talk myself into being thankful after I catch myself grumbling, but do I take any deliberate actions to act thankful towards the Lord? If He couldn't read my heart, and only heard my words and saw my actions, would He know that I am thankful? What do I do everyday that says clearly: "I am thankful to the Lord."?

I felt a bit ashamed when I couldn't think of anything I do except pray with my husband and children at mealtimes and before bed. A few thank-yous at routine prayer times just didn't seem like they were properly conveying my thankfulness in a way that was impacting my heart and attitude. So, I am trying to take some steps everday to work a little more thankfulness into my life, and hopefully my attitude. The first thing I've started doing may seem a bit simple and some might think it would not be enough to make a difference, but I think babysteps are the way to work in a new habit, or mindset in this case.

Here is a picture of the little dry erase board that hangs in our kitchen. I've used it to display reminders, quotes, scriptures, even a daily menu.  It's new purpose is as a "Thankfulness Board". Each morning, while finishing breakfast with the children, I write down things that our family is thankful for. Aiden adds things he is thankful for which, today, are: bananas, cereal, cars, flowers, tissue, monkeys, hats, and "smile faces". 

Aiden decided to finish his Cheerios this morning by making each bite into a "smile face" as he calls it.  He is so cute and smart, sometimes its hard for me to believe that he's only two : )

When Aiden told me that he is thankful for smile faces, I realized that I am, too.  Not just the Cheerio kind : )  I have a hunch that our new Thankfulness Board is going to help bring about a few more smile faces in our home.  Try it out, and you might see some in yours, too.