Thank you

I went on a walk last night feeling sorry for myself. I was feeling unappreciated which I am sure all Stay-at-home mommies feel frequently. Being a SAHM is a thankless job. Capri doesn't say Thank you for me changing her diapers, Sage doesn't say thank you for taking her to weekly gymnastics classes, Avery doesn't say thank you for me teaching her hot to read, and Nick doesn't say thank you for me washing his clothes (or at least not as much as I would like).

I then proseeded to make a mental list of all the things that I do, to validate my feelings of unappreciation. I cook, clean the whole house, grocery shop, change diapers (and wash them since I colth diaper) do all the laundry for 5 (washing, folding, and putting away), take care of the girls and do fun things with them...... The list goes on. Also while having 3 small kids at home all summer and entertaining them, I have had to keep the house as clean as I can because it's on the market. Which has included frantically cleaning to show the house (which I have done several times). I could keep making a list, but I am sure you get the idea. ")

Then I realized I was being selfish. I WANT to do all these things for my family. I WANT to be a SAHM. Which lead me to some guilty feelings. Do I tell the people in my life thank you for all that they have done for me. Have I told my parents thank you enough for all the things they did for ME as a child. Do I tell Nick thank you enough for working so hard and supporting our family so that I CAN stay home. Do I tell my friends thank you enough for listening to me on a hard day, do I say Thank you enough to my friend Tammy for the countless hours that she has watched my children for me.............. No I don't. So why can I whine about feeling under appreciated when I have made others feel the exact same way.

At that moment I stopped at the top of a hill along my trial. It's a point in my town where you can look down apon part of the town and see a play park, a skate park, a soccer field, a baseball diamond, and a running trail that goes around a lake. I saw families playing games, dad's pushing their daughters on the swings, a bunch of teenage boys playing touch football, and some teenage girls watching the boys at the skate park. :) I also saw the beautiful sky, the clouds, birds, flowers, and a beautiful pink sunset. It's at that moment that I realized even more important that forgetting to tell my friends and family thank you. I often forget to tell God thank you.

I wouldn't be a SAHM, have a family, have friends, or have the trillions of other blessings in my life if it weren't for him. What a humbling moment. God created all of this for me at that moment. God loves me even though I forget to say thank you. He continues to bless me even though I don't deserve it. Wow!

So today I encourage everyone to say Thank you to God and to all of the people in your life both past and present.

Psalms 9: 1-2
"I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High."