1000 gifts // chapter seven

“you can’t positive-think your way out of negative feelings. the only way to fight a feeling is with a feeling… feel thanks and it is absolutely impossible to feel angry. we can only experience one emotion at a time. and we get to choose – which emotion do we want to feel?” (page 136)

for those of you who are not yet aware, friday is book club day. this sweet friend & i think that book clubs are cool so we are bringing them back. we all know that even if you didn’t read the book you still go to the club for snacks and conversation. this is the same. except it is BYOS (bring your own snacks). come if you are reading along, come if you are not. link up with your thoughts on the book, thoughts on life, thoughts on being thankful or gratitude lists. no book reading necessary. but we sure would love it if you read with us. and shared with us. so please, join us!

CHAPTER SEVEN: LOOKING THROUGH THE GLASS

it is easy to be thankful for the things we are thankful for because, obviously, they are good things that we are thankful for. but can we possibly be thankful in the messy and the broken – not just by searching for that one bit of goodness but being thankful for grace in the midst of the messy?

that quote that i began this post with was one that really struck me (feel free to go back and reread it!) in those hard moments. those moments of self doubt, of not feeling good enough, in fights with my husband, in hard conversations, while hearing bad news… in all those things i try to fight with positive thinking and i never seem to win.  i let feelings of entitlement, bitterness, self loathing, sadness, anger to consume me. in those moments i cannot fight with “happy thoughts” i have to fight it with focus. i have to look toward the Lord and give thanks. give thanks for something, anything. 

73. grace
74. breath
75. nail polish
76. redemption
77. family
78. bruce
79. dirty dishes with the scraps of delicious meals
80. piles of laundry – blessed to have so many options for outfits
81. dirty carpets because we live in this house

whatever… and then slowly my feelings change. when i see the face of God in Bruce’s face i cannot stay mad. when i see grace and forgiveness in my life, i cannot help but pour out grace and forgiveness. when i give thanks for truth, for beauty, for Christ in me – i cannot believe the lies of Satan trying to tear me down.

so i have a choice. a choice to choose how i feel:

“do i really smother my own joy because i believe that anger achieves more than love? that Satan’s way is more powerful, more practical, more fulfilling in my daily life that Jesus’ way? isn’t is because i think complaining, exasperation, resentment will pound me up into the full like i really want? when i choose – and it is a choice – to crush joy with bitterness, am i not purposefully choosing the angry way of Lucifer because i think it is more effective – more expedient – than giving thanks?” (page 126)

the art of being aware and awake enough to choose how you feel takes practice. practice. practice. practice. so that is what i am choosing to do. practice. because i want to live a life that honors our Lord. one that gives thanks. on that chooses joy. 

82. airplanes that carry friends
83. cute eateries
84. picking up where we left off friendships
85. the sound of children playing outside of the window
86. the methodical tic toc of the clock
87. husbands pursuing their passions
88. belly laughing
89. lists. all the time. every where.
90. rain clouds
91. skylights
92. swapping dream stories in the morning
93. the click of typing
94. healthy cupcakes
95. fresh fruit