How To Appreciate What We Have

[Shubunkin]

I got up this morning thinking how little we ("we" meaning my family) have a lot to be appreciative of, but yet we give this little thought. I was hoping the members of TAW could come up with some ideas how to appreciate the smaller things in life.



For instance, I do appreciate my family, my dogs and cats. While it's hard to appreciate the area we live in at times, we do have a good, solid roof over our heads. We have plenty of food, and friends, and even though old, our cars are reliable. They get us there and back again.

(I just don't appreciate the repair bills they cause us. )

Any other ideas?

 

[TrueHope]

Excellent thread!

When I get ungrateful ....which I always pray I do not...

I think upon the times I had no money for even bread to feed my girls. Then I look out at the world and see people who are missing arms or legs, or are blind, or deaf, or homeless, hungry...living in shacks unfit for dogs...and I get a renewed appreciation for what I have.

I look at families with kids who wander the streets because both parents have to work and no-one is home to care for them...and I am so grateful to God that I am allowed to be here for my kids, even when I want to kill them half the time!

I look at homes where parents and kids share a 1 bedroom hole in the wall and imagine how there is no privacy, no intimacy, no time alone...ever.

I look at (Women specially, because I am that...a woman) who can't do anything for themselves and depend upon their parents, husbands to do everything for them...even to cook and clean...iron...hammer a nail..etc.

There is so much. Daily I see so much and daily I look to the sky and thank God, that though, I may be miserable in many ways, I no longer suffer as I had, or as others do. And my family, though we argue and fight...a lot...we still laugh, joke, hang out together as a FAMILY...even when we think we are a huge mess...we see others that really are a mess.

I have gained much appreciation for the simple and the complex things in our lives....and a true love for the things I pray this unworthy sinner can attain someday. (Heaven)

Wars, famine...I could write a novel...So, I will leave room for others now! hee hee...Good thread!

 

[Philothei]

oh...yes appreciate # 1 is our health.... I mean we could be bedridden with all our functions gone. No ability to speak, walk, etc. those people who suffer like that are great examples of endurance and faith...

Philothei

 

[Breaking Babylon]

Going without has a real way of making you appreciate the small things.

What makes me very appreciative, when I feel like I'm getting the short end of the stick, is I realize that even in my humble life I'm living richer than King David. All of us here are. He didn't have a hot water heater for a shower at the end of a hard day, a spring mattress or feather pillow to rest on, an AC in the summer, any of those things. We just take it for granted.

 

[nutroll]

Going without has a real way of making you appreciate the small things.

What makes me very appreciative, when I feel like I'm getting the short end of the stick, is I realize that even in my humble life I'm living richer than King David. All of us here are. He didn't have a hot water heater for a shower at the end of a hard day, a spring mattress or feather pillow to rest on, an AC in the summer, any of those things. We just take it for granted.

Also, unlike King David, you don't have to go and collect the foreskins off of a hundred Philistines.

 

[Shubunkin]

Another thing I appreciate is our couch. It's old, it is torn, it looks a little run down, but it sure is comfortable! Don't think I'd buy a new one even if I could because they don't come in this size. It's an extra large couch.

 

[Shubunkin]

Also, unlike King David, you don't have to go and collect the foreskins off of a hundred Philistines.

That I'm really grateful for not having to do!!

 

[Philothei]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to nutroll again


That was funny.... lol.....

 

[TrueHope]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to nutroll again


That was funny.... lol.....

But I can so I will do it for both of us!

That was great!

And TOOTHPASTE! Imagine the old days talking to people....I'm surprised the earth is still populated. I know a few people who could kill someone with their breath...>EWWWWWWWWWW

 

[Philothei]

Since your question is "how to" I thought that we can appreciate of what we have by not "nagging" to our family (hard to do with Greeks...BTW that is for you and me True hope...) I am sure you know by now .... though. Nagging is our national emblem... right?
Well, I nag and my hubby nags and my dauthter does so we have started a vow... not to nag at each other and try to say something good to each other every day...
Just an idea.
Philothei

P.s. thanks for the giving rep to nutroll Truehope

 

[TrueHope]

Since your question is "how to" I thought that we can appreciate of what we have by not "nagging" to our family (hard to do with Greeks...BTW that is for you and me True hope...) I am sure you know by now .... though. Nagging is our national emblem... right?
Well, I nag and my hubby nags and my dauthter does so we have started a vow... not to nag at each other and try to say something good to each other every day...
Just an idea.
Philothei

P.s. thanks for the giving rep to nutroll Truehope

LOL...OH MY...How true is that!!! Actually, I am not much of a nag, though I really should be. We are surrounded by naggers and the one thing my family appreciates is that I do NOT nag! However, our middle child, she makes up for it and then some. She is completely Greekized! LOL. I mean, she puts some of these Yiayias to shame. In fact, I have nick named her Yiayia everytime she gets going! LOL.

 

[Shubunkin]

I was really grateful this year for the bumper crop of peaches we got off of our tree. We had not had a good crop on that tree for three years, but this year made up for all of that.

 

[Philothei]

Did you make marmalade with them... I love peach marmalade...yam.

 

[heart of peace]

Oh, I don't take for granted simple things in life. Actually, working from home now I have learned to voluntarily live simply and enjoy it! Coming from a person who has battled the sin of vanity for many years, it is a big thing...lol

I have learned to wake in the morning and have the first words out of my mouth be praises to God for the gift of another day to raise my son. I can sit there and appreciate the rustling of the leaves, the branches breaking off the trees and falling to the ground, the birds chirping, the kids laughing in the distance, et cetera. I try to teach my son to listen and look for the simple but awesome parts of everyday life. I live very humbly but I find that I am so very grateful for the opportunities that God has provided for and continues to do.

However, it was certainly a process - as I said, I struggled with the sin of vanity and at my worst state, I was too busy focusing on how to outshine this one or that one to appreciate anything, let alone the simple things.

 

[Shubunkin]

I have also learned that lowering my expectations on things made me much happier. You can't always expect the most, the best, the highest, or the most wonderful without having some heavy disappointments.

 

[heart of peace]

I have also learned that lowering my expectations on things made me much happier. You can't always expect the most, the best, the highest, or the most wonderful without having some heavy disappointments.

That's what I meant by having to work from home. I could work in my chosen profession and make a decent income but then I'd have to put my son in daycare, which is not an option in my life. So, by having to live off of a smaller income, I have learned to live simply and to find enjoyment in it. It's actually liberating in all honesty. I sometimes feel like I don't recognize my former self.

 

[Shubunkin]

Hey, I was just at a super sale at our local Mervyn's and bought a nice blouse for $2.00. It even looks nice. I don't mind buying things on sale at all.

 

[heart of peace]

I have found some amazing DKNY and Guess jeans at our local Goodwill stores (for 6 bucks each)! Let me tell you that you would never be able to tell that they are secondhand...lol Makes me feel good knowing I only spent 6 dollars to look like I spent $100...hehe

 

[Dorothea]

I am thankful for my husband and my wonderful two children. I'm so blessed to have my family and to be able to stay at home while my husband works. I'm grateful to have a very supportive family through my parents and sister, and I get along very well with my MIL and her husband and my SIL and BIL and all.

I'm very thankful to God for helping us through all the medical surgeries and treatments we've gone through with Christopher. Thankful that he's gotten through them safely and with such strength. I'm thankful for my health, as well. Soooo thankful for so much in my life.

 

[Shubunkin]

We've had a lot of tragedies and bad things happen in our lives, but we got through them all. We've also had some great and wonderful times. I want to remember the good times, because they do outweigh the bad.