Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Say Thanks


Just Lay Back
and
Say Thanks
*Nana's Girl with those sweet little feet*


Tuesday morning... after a night of rolling thunder and a great rain... Morning coffee and the promise of a hot one today, sun come on and SHINE... For this day I give thanks... and so it is! 

Say Thanks for thing in the morning and all during your day... So much and so many to be thankful for ~


Let us remember to be grateful for the simple everyday gifts we receive. The gift of a smile, a friend sitting with with us over a cup of coffee, the devotion of a four legged, good books, the beauty of music, the majesty of our gulf waters and the sea life, the winged ones, the North American Black Bears (Hope now has bling around her neck allowing the folks at http://www.bear.org/ to monitor her wanderings)! Life is indeed a grand adventure or nothing at all like Helen Keller said oh so long ago ~ STOMP in gratitude and great thanks... for and to all ~
The list is endless. The gifts bountiful. Some, in nature, like the sun, the rain, fog, moonlight, shadows and breezes.

Some, we give, and many more we receive.

It is easy to move through the day without stopping to really define these as gifts. Some seem so ordinary that we treat them as non events. But, our days are filled with these gifts. The everyday knowledge that we call the place we lay our head at night “home”. Most everyone will admit that they look forward to “going home”, or coming home” at the end of a long day at work, but do we really allow ourselves to know what a gift this is?
Do we take it for granted?

Do we appreciate it consciously?

I am, in the moment, aware that not everyone enjoys a roof over their head. A place to return to that one feels safe and familiar.
 Do we go to work feeling that it is a burden, or, know, really know that we are fortunate to have a job that sustains us. That allows us some degree of financial comfort.


We have abundant water, indoor plumbing, a clean bed to sleep in, food on the table, the ability to get back and forth to work. Most of which we take for granted. And yet, so many have none of these comforts.
See a man or woman in a uniform today? Be sure and thank them for serving...
So let’s be about appreciating what we have right here, right now. We need not waste our time coveting that which we have not yet acquired, but rather be thankful for all that we do have.

The ordinary and extraordinary people, comforts, small joys and accomplishments that are ours in this moment.

Let us be filled up with gratitude every day. Some days we struggle. Some days are difficult. We wrestle with so many self made crisis in our lives that we often forget to wrap our heads around the enormity of all that we can appreciate that is good in our lives. It is a matter of perspective.

 I cannot ponder the half full glass when mine brims over. I encourage each of us to first be grateful. To keep our focus on the many good and great moments each day holds.

Acknowledge the gifts, say thank you often.


Angst, depression and anger can find little traction in a deeply grateful heart and mind.

Today I wish you awareness of all that you have to be thankful for. I am thankful for each of you that visit here. I appreciate your thoughts, your words, your time.

 I am grateful for the opportunity to write, and for your loyalty in reading. Wado.

I am blessed... pass it on with thanks and gratitude...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC3Aj6S-uNY&feature=related

Walk In Beauty
DRSES

13 comments:

liv said...

whhhoooohooo, i am the first poster !!!!the nana must be still recovering from car wash, this is the shortest blog ever :) Great message, we should all be grateful always for what we have, and pass that on to our children. Just last night my daughter and nephew were saying how lucky they are to be with us and not still in an orphanage. At the ripe ages of 10 & 12 they decided they will adopt children, because so many are still left in the orphanages, quite insightful kids and very proud mommy.
Off to D.C Zoo ! have a great Tuesday !

Anonymous said...

It is easy to see the world through the lens of self pity. Poor me, I have so many problems, or such a lack of... But... It is far better to view everything with a positive lens. Just letting the gratitude well up changes the negative pity party energy people so easily wear. NOT ME! I have life, I have real love in my life, I have friends, family of choice, a home, many comforts. People to stand by me, and people that allow me to give of myself to them. I believe in my ability to make positive change in this world. I am a warrior. So being grateful is EASY. It's all about choices. I choose to stay in a grateful frame of mind and kick my own butt when I find my focus on dark feelings. STOMP

Anonymous said...

Wow..a powerful message this morning!! I am grateful for a lot of things in my life....not just for the things I already have (a nice home, a wonderful husband, a beautiful daughter, the best friends anyone could ask for, and a good job)..but also the things I am capable of that some are not. I am in good health, so I am physically capable of a lot...I am intelligent (modest also!!), so I can accomplish a lot at work and at home. I am grateful for the rain...it means I don't have to mow my lawn yet, right!!

So here's me, positively moving forward thru my day.....

Jelly Beans..right Sherry???

Blessings to all!
Lizzy

Cathy Madden said...

I whole heartedly agree with with Mom, anonymous and Lizzy. Today we got some real inward thoughts that we must all apply each day we walk through this life. I have been without a job for a year and 4 months. I've thought several times "why Lord" and then something happens within my family unit and I've been able to help where I wouldn't have been able to if I'd had a job. My daughter went through a "hell" of a year last year. She'd been trying to make a marriage work with a husband that had been an alcoholic for years, had gotten sober for a few, and then went back to drinking again. She could not put her boys through that again. She filed for divorce in Jan., he tried to commit suicide but survived and was in the hospital for almost 4 months and had two liver transplants and was on kidney dialysis till just a couple months ago. During the course of that time a divorce happend, she found and fell in love with a wonderful man, married and they are living happily. The ex husband has begun drinking again off and on and he does see the boys but as you can imagine for a mother to watch her daughter and grandsons cope with this it in heart wrenching. If I had been working I wouldn't have been able to help her and be there for my precious grandsons. I love reading your thoughts. Glass in never half empty. My glass either is half full or overflowing. My husband and I met in High School and married a couple of years after graduation so we have almost 41 years. It hasn't been easy but when I sit back and look at him, my three children, my sister, brother, Mom, Dad, and Mother in Law well...I'm blessed. Truly I have HOPE! God in his goodness and graciousness has been with me the whole way even when sometimes I didn't think he was there until the storm passed, I would reflect and know that I would have never made it through the storm if he hadn't lifted me up and carried me.

Have a wonderul day, I am going to go swim with the grandsons(and watch out for those snakes,LOL, and they watch a movie with the boys at my house.

I hope my sharing these thoughts with you were o.k. and that it might helf someone along the way.

Love to all,
Cathy

Anonymous said...

Good blog this morning, for all to ponder.
To reader/commenter: CATHY MADDEN
Thank you for sharing your story of the son-in-law. It touched a nerve within me, as our family is going through similar " hell "
My sister, married 23 years with 2 children, has a husband ( now separated ) with a very severe drinking problem. She sent him packing for her sake & the children's sake. A rough road to be on......... my heart breaks for my sister. Thanks for sharing your story.

Anonymous said...

thanks doc for all the many and i mean many thoughts, laughs, tears... and for allowing and encouraging us to find our strength with your gudance and encouragement... to teach us STOMP... we've been changed for GOOD and we are WARRIORS with warpaint on here... this is so much more than whatever a "blog" is and so much more and just sign me grateful to have fhound you and the healing ways... to those above me... I am glad you are here... and more than thankful you are sharing your stories with us all... we are each warriors STOMP... alcoholic with a gift of liver now choosing to drink...??? a waste of a perfectly beautiful gift that soneone could have benefitted from. thank god/dess for you cathy you ARE WORKING... STOMP ON warriors

Anonymous said...

HEY DOC... your Granddaughter should be a model... she is so beautiful and i know she is your heart... love the picutres and oh how she is growing understand your want for the duct tape tho! great thoughts today... short but ever so powerful. love all the comments a sacred place of strong voices strong warriors. hope you laura and mitch and dorothy and the rest are recovering fropm workin at the car wash.. bravo! sing me CO. here

Anonymous said...

Laura sent me here. She is a proud and grateful friend. I can tell. So now I have a beautiful inspiring blog to check in with every now and then.
Thank you for sharing your talent and your beautiful Self with us.
Solette a/k/a Butterfly Mama

Anonymous said...

Dear Doctor Showalter,
My friend Mary suggested I read your blog a few weeks ago. I am thnakful that she did. I went back to some that were posted before I began reading and have been moved by the depth and breat of the topics. You have a wonderful heart. i will continue to read as often as I can. Mary has been my friend for many years and has always given me good advice. I am thankful for her too.

Chris said...

Evening all-Especially Sherry-great Blog today-incredible. But you have always seen the glass as brimming over. I have learned so very much from you-the most important lesson is finding my strength from within.
It's not hard when Sherry is around, she lives the saying 'you don't die from doing rather you die from not doing'.STOMP!
Sherry forgot to mention that she was stomping thru puddles Sunday during the car wash! setting an example even cleaning cars! incredible!

Anonymous said...

First and FOREMOST, I AM grateful! Grateful to be alive, grateful to breathe, grateful to have daily options and even more grateful to have enough marbles to use as common sense. I have the common sense to have the best husband in the world, the best of friends, the best attitude I can daily, and always, enough, I have just enough. I have been humbled by poor decisions I made, but knowing now, I choose that a lesson and not a mistake because it will never happen again..
Gratitude is the hearts memory. Even though my Dad was an alcoholic, I understand it's a horrific disease, he loved me as good as he could, and I'm grateful for the time I did have with him. Cathy, stay atrong, STOMP! To my carwash friends, I am still grateful, and my heart is still a flutter! I am extremely grateful that my sore muscles decided to stand down, and according to my Shawna, we are unofficially at 10024.25!!! We did it, thanks to so many of you...Speaking of which, Irene where are you? I've NEVER logged on when you hadn't commented! Thanks Dr. SES, just for everything, even the D.Y.S. you bring on without notice!!! Big Wado to U! Love, Laura
P.S. Solette, (miss you much) So many butterflies I wish I could share with you! Stay aboard, you won't regret it! To the lady in Katy, you're awesome even just for the offer. Texas is some kind of friendly! MS watch out, WE the Warriors have HAD IT with you!

Anonymous said...

First and FOREMOST, I AM grateful! Grateful to be alive, grateful to breathe, grateful to have daily options and even more grateful to have enough marbles to use as common sense. I have the common sense to have the best husband in the world, the best of friends, the best attitude I can daily, and always, enough, I have just enough. I have been humbled by poor decisions I made, but knowing now, I choose that a lesson and not a mistake because it will never happen again..
Gratitude is the hearts memory. Even though my Dad was an alcoholic, I understand it's a horrific disease, he loved me as good as he could, and I'm grateful for the time I did have with him. Cathy, stay atrong, STOMP! To my carwash friends, I am still grateful, and my heart is still a flutter! I am extremely grateful that my sore muscles decided to stand down, and according to my Shawna, we are unofficially at 10024.25!!! We did it, thanks to so many of you...Speaking of which, Irene where are you? I've NEVER logged on when you hadn't commented! Thanks Dr. Ses, just for everything, even the D.Y.S. you bring on without notice!!! Big Wado to U! Laura
P.S. Solette, (miss you much) So many butterflies I wish I could share with you! Stay aboard, you won't regret it! To the lady in Katy, you're awesome even just for the offer. Texas is some kind of friendly! MS watch out, WE the Warriors have HAD IT with you!

Anonymous said...

Hello eveyone, Laura...you rock ! MS does SUCK..
you and your Warrior family of friends will
surely STOMP !!
I just came " home"... forever grateful and
humbled to have a "home"...
Most powerful words today and each day I
missed over the past week... I would have
loved to dance at the car wash, or am here
to help in any way I may... need a candy vendor ?
Anyhow.. just wanted to say WADU to my very
"wickedcooldrses" ....your hugs on the wind
were truly appreciated by all...Thank you for the
reminder to be always a WARRIOR !
It is kind of late reading for me tonite
and as I'm listening to the rain....
my thoughts are with all of you, I find
such comfort here...
May the angels wrap their arms around
each of us as the night falls quietly into
another day to be thankful for...
sign me, Andrea