Grateful Fast Sunday XXV

AJP and BLP on Christmas Eve at the Botanical Gardens. They are two people I very grateful for.

I really can’t believe this is my 25^th Grateful Fast Sunday entry. It seems like I just started it last month. I am really happy that I started doing this post. It has helped me focus, at least once a month, on what I have instead of what I lack. It has made me appreciate my life more and all the wonderful blessings I enjoy. This month I am posting a bit late since the craziness of the holiday made me a little ill on Sunday. (Not really, I was just nursing a cold and went to bed early.) In reality, we had a great Christmas and wonderful New Year’s. We spent Christmas Eve with some Foreign Service friends that are in the area temporarily and will all ship out to far off places. We spent Christmas day at home relaxing. We went to visit JTP’s parents in North Carolina for a few days between Christmas and New Year’s. There we were lucky to see all of JTP’s brothers. It was a full house that got a little crazy but all went very well. It was a splendid holiday.

I am excited for the upcoming year. It is nice in the middle of the “bleak midwinter” to have a reason to feel a sort of rebirth. A new year offers opportunities for change and sometimes a change of focus. It is with this in mind that I am grateful for the following:

1. The success of my goals from last year. I did not complete them all 100% but I still fared better than I expected. I was probably 70% on reading the lessons for church (my spiritual goal), 50% on going out with JTP (my social goal), 160% on losing weight (my physical goal) and about 50% on reading a book every month. I am really happy with the results. Moving in the middle of the year created unforeseen benefits as well as challenges to my goals. Look for new ones in the next few weeks.

2. Learning to do things I don’t want to do. I have really struggled with that in the past. I had a hard time forcing myself to do something just because it needed to be done (what the dishes need to be done? – too bad – I am tired!) I have truly tried to change that this past year. I have pushed myself and feel happy with the results. The best part of the whole equation has been that I found myself loving the tasks I used to think were only drudgery. Ironing can be a nice excuse to watch TV or a clean house means visitors are welcome anytime. I have some other examples that I won’t share here that are mainly tied to helping people I really would prefer not to help. I have found my love for these people increase and can truly say that God loves all of His children. I think there is a certain kind of magic when we do things we don’t want to. It seems that when I do things that I don’t want to do the rewards are double since the effort was so much.

3. Family that loves and supports me regardless of the distance or effort involved. This was mentioned last but surely is not least. They have strengthened me and helped me become better and for that I am incredibly grateful.