Being Grateful

I've started trying to put one or more posts up each day on facebook about things I am grateful for. I find it easy to find things to be grateful for but sometimes I find myself being repetitive in my prayers about the core things that make me thank God, and I'm trying to branch out and see his hand more effectively in all that I do.

This week, I misplaced an important file. I normally keep this file in a safe because it has so many critical things in it. But I took it out to put some items in, and got distracted while doing so. When I went to put it back, the other items in the safe got jumbled, and I knew it would take some time to put it all back together so that the file would fit. I didn't want to leave the file on the table because I'm paranoid about losing it. I brilliantly thought of a place that the thieves would never think of looking, and then went to pick up the kids.

It was one of those days where I was running back and forth between schools, activities, events, and getting my daughter ready for camp. I forgot about the file, and didn't think of it again until I went to the safe to retrieve something and realized my file wasn't there. I scoured the house from top to bottom and couldn't locate it. I thought of who might have moved it. I even dug through the trash (and found my pampered chef knife in amongst the pumpkin mess! Thank you Father for knowing that I would have lost my mind without it!) and the recycling bins. I queried the children. I even wondered if someone had managed to steal it after all. I had prayed many times, including prayers that I might regain my former "brilliance" and remember where I had put it. Finally, instead of just praying, I listened. I had the feeling to go look in the kitchen. I began looking inside of things, under things, behind things. I gave up once, but then felt that I needed to keep looking in the kitchen. At long last, I found where I had put it!

I loudly and with great heartfelt gratitude gave God all the credit for locating the file. It's clear that I've lost way too many brain cells over the years (maybe I gave them all to my smart children!). The only way I found it is by finally having the faith and humility to rely on God to guide me instead of my aging and tired brain. When we rely on God to guide us, the results are always better than if we try to rely on our own faculties.

I'm so grateful for my boys who helped me search for the file. I'm grateful that in the process of looking, Heavenly Father spared me from losing a kitchen tool I use every day. I'm so thankful for prayer. I appreciate being taught humility and faith, even though I have to keep learning those lessons over and over. I'm grateful that I found the file! I'm also thankful that in the process of looking for the file that a little cleaning got done.

See what one little incident can do for gratitude?