Is the glass half empty or half full??

I have always been one of the people who see the glass as half full. Being raised most of my life by a single mom we were taught to always count our blessings and appreciate the little things in life as we didn't have much.

When Josh and I started having kids we decided our 3 goals for our children were to 1) Know and Love Jesus Christ 2) Be thankful for the little things in life and 3) whatever they did in life, they did it in His name, with passion and it made them happy!

What really is the meaning of thankfullness? Often times it becomes such a routine part of our language. We say it all day long including to the grouchy Mcdonald's guy as he hands us our bag of the Kids Chicken Nuggets and Cheeseburger that we ordered plain but know it either has ketchup all over it or isn't in the bag at all. Still, we say thank you with a smile.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

God wants us to be thankful for all that he has given us. He gave us His most precious gift, His son. We have eternal life thru him and so much to be thankful for.

We participated in the Feed the Bay event this weekend in Tampa. As our church family was gathered at Sweetbay purchasing food, loading trucks and my kids were literally throwing food in the cart as fast as they could, I stood there w/tears rolling down my face w/the store manager of Sweetbay. As my kids put the food in the carts I couldn't help but think how lucky we were. In that cart was far less than we usually buy in a week at the grocery store was going to feed multiple families. They were happy to get Ramen noodles, cup of soup, Manwich etc. We couldn't fill their cart w/steak or seafood as it would spoil. So many of the things we take for granted every single day were going to put a smile on their face.

I have been blessed by God in so many ways. Even though I have always worked very hard in everything I have done, I have always felt undeserving which I think sometimes keeps me from being as thankful as I should be. I am always worried whatever I achieved would be taken away from me given I didn't deserve it in the first place, since it all came to me by "luck" anyway.

I use to think my success was just luck and that the luck would eventually run out. Luck I made it thru highschool w/out my mom pulling out every single strand of her hair, lucky I made it thru college, lucky I found a wonderful husband and bear my 2 beautiful 2 sons and even lucky to find 2 great jobs in a row where I can work from home and be with my kids, lucky to find Fishhawk, lucky to find my friends, my house, my neighborhood, my church etc.

When you start to really put all the pieces together and look back on your life you see so many areas where Jesus carried you or where you rode on the wings of an angel taking you to your next chapter. That my friend is not luck. It is the love of God when you follow His path. He has wrapped His arms around me so many times. There is no better tear wiper than him (and of course my 2 am friends take a close second).

Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever. Psalm 136:26

I don't know if it's because I am getting older or if I am just growing in my relationship with Him. I do know it is so much easier than it use to be to truly mean it when I thank the grouchy burger king guy as he probably wishes he didn't have to worry about my burger being plain even though his name tag says "we'll do it your way" ;) He probably wishes he could afford his rent or his next tank of gas and that he could have a better job. He probably looks at me and my friends in the drive thru and thinks how did that girl get so lucky? The truth is we didn't. We all have the same opportunities to live in His name, the same opportunities to know Him and the same opportunties to decide each day if the glass is half empty or half full!

Do I feel lucky that I found God, yes! However, finding God is not just luck. His love for me was wrapped around me before I was even a small baby in my mom's belly. Everything is within His plan. Yes, he has let me fall down. He has carried me, he has laid with me when I sob, he has helped me up and most importantly he is always there for me, always. Even when I fall down sobbing, I feel His arms around me and know I am on the crooked, broken path for a reason as I always come out stronger, braver and more in love with Him.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

- Colossians 3:17

Yes, my glass is more than half full even when others call it half empty. I'll take a half full glass of God's love any day over a half empty glass of luck. It's when you realize it's not luck and it is God's Grace that fills your cup will you forever see it half FULL!

Do they recipients of "Feed the Bay" feel "lucky? I bet they do.... hopefully they do know or will soon know it is the love of God who filled their cup, their pantry and hopefully their belly.

Thank you God for the many blessings in my life. Thank you for your love, your grace and your mercy on my life, my family and my friends. Thank you for making me the person I am and for providing me the opportunities you have given me. Please help me to be the best wife, mom, friend, employee and cheerful, humble servant that I may teach others that it is your love that fills their glass and help others come to know you. For their is no greater gift than your love. I do feel lucky I found it but know it was in your plan all along. Amen.