08 July 2011

FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY

State of Mind

Another week, another Five Minute Friday.  Five Minutes of pure, unedited writing, with a topic courtesy of Gypsy Mama.  This week's topic?

Grateful

GO
My husband was called away on a last minute business trip this week, with a promise to return Friday night.  But something about the whole thing left me skeptical, and I wasn't surprised when he called last night to tell me he would be delayed by a day.  It was easy to feel down about it, especially because we had special family plans this weekend.

But then I saw the topic this week:  grateful.  And I was struck by how much grateful is a state of mind.  I was feeling particularly ungrateful at the time, because of the current situation of no husband.  But you know what?  It could be oh so much worse.  He could not be coming home  for a long while.  I could be a single parent all the time.  I could hate it here.  But none of those things are true.

So, on this day, I choose to be grateful.  I reject my pity party, and my ungratefulness, and my sadness, and my frustration.  I choose to focus on the fact that he is still coming home, that his traveling schedule has been relaxed in the past year, that the children are very very helpful when he is gone.

I am grateful that we have found a church home -ohana- that is here when I need it, and who give of themselves freely.

 I am grateful for summer vacation that started today, for six glorious weeks of relaxed schedules and unending fun.

STOP


What will you choose to be grateful for today?  If you need inspiration, head over to Gypsy Mama to see all the other posts that have been linked up.  I'm #92, so there are many different takes on what we can be, should be, and are ever so GRATEFUL for.

3 comments:

  1. Tracey,

    Thanks so much for sharing your heart. I remember growing up in a family of an absent father. He traveled 3 weeks of each month and I remember how hard that was and yet I do know that God was faithful throughout those years. Hopefully you will adjust weekend plans and get some family time and also one on one time with your husband!

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  2. My husband works a lot too. He doesn't go away, but even 3 minutes down the road on a 18 hour day is gone, a lot.

    I am grateful that he has work. That the boys are adults and help out. That he loves working and that 3 minutes down the road means I can jump in the car and see him, even if only for a moment.

    Thank you for reminding me to be grateful for these things ...

    Blessings

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  3. Hi ladies, thanks for the comments. I make no judgements about how much time husbands spend away. Gone is gone, no matter if it's down the road or across the world. But there is still so much to be grateful for, so it's nice to put it all in perspective.

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