Practicing gratitude for an entire month has been a difficult discipline. The beginning of the month found us exhausted but hopeful, recovering from Babygirl's first hospital stay in nearly two years. The horrible headaches that lead up to that stay were finally gone, so it was fairly easy to start, but as the days went on and the headaches returned and worsened, being grateful became one of the most difficult tasks out there.
Writing a 'gratitude' post on mornings when I woke up already crying was actually quite stressful. Remembering that there were still things to be thankful for despite Babygirl's suffering and the apparent indifference of her doctors created an interesting type of mental tension, one which I believe was good for me in the long run.
It is all too easy to look down. The burdens that rest on our shoulders are often heavy ones. Disciplining our hearts to focus outside of our own struggles and pain is good for us. A friend of mine has said that she plans, as a Thanksgiving Resolution, to find three things that she is thankful for each morning before she puts her car in gear. It is a worthy ambition, one that I am all too aware can be a tremendous challenge on some mornings!
My sister-in-law, on one of our last runs to the hospital, gave me a gift. It's a little plaque that reads, "Life is all about how you handle Plan B."
So Lord of all, to thee we raise Plan B. Or C. Or F. Or whatevertheheck plan we are currently on, with gratitude for the strength to carry on.
DeeDee
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