Taken For Granted

How do you really live not taking things for granted? How do you treasure every moment you have of your life? with your spouse? with your children? with your parents? with your health? How do you constantly appreciate having a home? a job? food? clothes?


I don't know how.
I know I don't do it.
I know I should.
I know I try.
I know I sometimes do.
I know I've lost things.
I know I see other people lose things.
I know I could lose any one or all of those things that are so important to me at any time . . .


But I also know I can't live in fear of those things being gone. Things change. I KNOW God will carry me through ANYTHING that happens or that He allows, but how do I really take full advantage of every gift I'm given now? Right now. Today. Every day.


How do I live that truly thankful life? I say that I'm thankful. I say the blessing before I eat. But do I really mean it? Honestly, don't I take it for granted? And how can I be thankful for the dishes and the laundry and the sweeping and the vacuuming and the homework and the discipline and the shredded cheese all over the table and the stamps on the walls and the vaseline all over the place?


I guess what I'm really asking is how do I have the fullest most abundant life I possibly can. How? Hmm . . . wait a minute. That sounds sort of familiar.


I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

I know who said that. So is that the answer to all my questions? Is He the answer to all my questions? The 'how' is actually a 'who'? Jesus? I think so. I know so. Jesus. Jesus every day. Jesus every moment. More of him - less of me. More of Him in me. Change my thinking. Change my focus. Die to self. Pick up my cross. Every day. Every moment. Thankful. Not taken for granted.

I'll keep trying. I know I'll fail. I'm not perfect. But He is. Jesus.