Perspective

As my favorite super hero Chuck would say, I will probably be "off the grid" for most of the weekend as we are moving this...Yeah (I think).

As I was getting into my 4.5 mile run this morning a lot was going through my mind.  Usually on my runs I have simple thoughts and make simple decisions.  I figure out what I am going to wear or what I am going to have for lunch.  Sometimes I will plan a lesson, get some ideas for class, or just enjoy the scenery. In other words the deepest thought is trying to figure out how I can get out of the house without having to use an iron.

However, today was a little different.  I have been feeling very stressed for a lot of reasons.  I have been promoting a new sense of gratitude in my life...as you are already quite aware of, but it really has changed the way I view things.  I am trying to be thankful for things in my life that are causing a bit of pain.  It is easy to be thankful when things are going good, but when we have any sort of stress in our lives, which for most of us is daily, we forget to be thankful in lieu of being grumpy and complaining, which by the way is WAY easier.

But so many stressful things in my life have turned around by just looking at it in a different way, to be thankful even in my pain.  So I decided then and there between thinking about sandwich or leftovers and sandals or tennies that I was going to start being thankful about my exercise and eating habits.  I am going to be thankful for each day that I am able to exercise.  Thankful that I never have to worry about food or having enough to eat.  I am going to use these challenges to make myself a better and stronger person. 

This being thankful has really changed my life.  I sometimes slip back into my old "poor me" ways, but they are fewer and far between.  God has blessed me with so much to be thankful for, even with the stresses in my life.  I know that I can tackle them as long as I have the right attitude...

...and the right outfit.


More Later

- A Ro

P.S. Thanks for all the moving well wishes, and I'll have a lot of pictures to post when it is done.  As long as the nice Direct TV guy can get our Internet up and running within the allotted 4 hours.