So Much To Be Grateful For

Posted byMeganPosted inInspirationTags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My house smells delicious. Well, it’s about to anyway. Since everyone in my family will be working or at school tomorrow, we’re celebrating Thanksgiving at the weekend instead of on the actual day.

That means, come the weekend, my sisters will be busy making place cards. My dad will be trying to create a new-and-original centrepiece for the table, my mom will be stuffing the turkey and my pumpkin pie will be on its way into the oven. The doorbell will ring and our friends will arrive. We’ll sit down to eat, filling ourselves with second and third helpings of stuffing and beans and casserole and turkey. At dessert, we’ll have a ‘slither’ of both the pies… and then a bit more after. And of course, we’ll have cinnamon whipped cream and ice cream too. We’ll go round the table and say what we’re thankful for, then my sisters and I will argue over who gets to blow out the candles as we clear the table. We’ll play some games, maybe watch Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving and have a round or two of hide and seek in the dark, all of which will inevitably end in fits of giggles.

The evening will end almost before it’s started, the leftovers will be stored in various tupperware, and we’ll load and reload the dishwasher as many times as it takes to fit everything in. I’ll go to bed that night with a full stomach but an even fuller heart.

I love celebrating Thanksgiving, even if we’re on the wrong side of the ocean, not just because of the good food and company, but because it slows me down. It slows me down and reminds me to be grateful.

I love Thanksgiving for that, but at the same time, I think it’s sad. I think it’s sad that it takes a day- or an entire four day holiday if you’re reading this from America- to slow us down and remind us to count our blessings. I think it’s sad that we live in a society that is so fast-paced that it takes a long weekend to evoke gratitude from within.

For me, the average week looks like school, babysitting, music practice, homework, blogging, more babysitting, back to school, youth group, friends, friends again, Church, work, studying, Netflix, babysitting, homework, cooking dinner, driving lesson, extra maths, band rehearsal, school again, face-timing cousins, blogging even more… you get the idea. I don’t know what your typical week looks like, but chances are it looks something similar to mine… busy, jam-packed and fleeting.

Life is fast. I get that. I get that it can be hard to find time. But maybe that’s not a good enough excuse anymore. Maybe we need to examine our lives and decide that today, no matter how busy we may find ourselves, we’re going to make time.

Maybe we need to make time to look around us and to see the sky, the smiles of the people next to us, the stack of sticky notes, the vibrant autumn leaves. Maybe we need to make time to listen to the uplifting prayers of others, that new worship song, the sweet voice message, the geese as they fly by. Maybe we need to make time to feel the gentle nudges of my friends, the fluffy sweater, the hot shower, the warmth of home. Maybe we need to take time to taste the homecooked meals, the clear water from our taps, that gooey, chocolate cookie, the coffee from breakfast.

Friend, I don’t know if it’s the same for you. Maybe you already have the time in your life, maybe you manage to find a moment here and there, maybe it’s part of your routine. But I know for me, I sure need to be better at turning off my phone, at pausing my music, at taking a step back to look around me and take in how much I really am blessed with.

Because really, truly, I have so much to be grateful for.

Published by Megan

Hey there! I'm Megan, creative lifestyle blogger. I love Jesus, iced coffee, Pinterest, and all things creative! My message is that there is no such thing as perfect and that we can't live our lives chasing perfection because we will never find something that satisfies us as much as life in Jesus does. I aim to inspire people to find their own not-so-perfect and embrace who they are. I blog at notsoperfectblog.com where I share my ideas for creative, free living! Feel free to visit my blog and have a look around!

22 thoughts on “So Much To Be Grateful For”

  5. This was so beautiful and uplifting- your words always hit home for me! Before the pandemic began and in the first half year of it being underway I was a very content homebody. Slowly but surely that changed though. Being in lockdown recently for three months filled me with an eagerness to live my real life and be out and about as much as possible. I’ve loved capturing moments through photography and popping them on Instagram but actually writing has required so much more disciplined. It never dawned on me that maintaining routine, even with hobbies and things you enjoy, can be so difficult. While I’m definitely getting back into the swing of being a writer, I’m also taking the time to look up and immerse myself in my real life. To build things in this realm rather than creating such a huge online universe. That’s looked like time spent with friends going further than I usually venture, trying out new restaurants, continuing to decorate my room and reading lots more! <33

    Wishing you a beautiful and festive thanksgiving with family. I'm sure it'll be very memorable. I can almost picture your festivities with such evocative description!

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    1. Thank youu Maryam!! I was definitely something of the same… when the Pandemic first hit I very much enjoyed the break from reality and all the chances to rest and relax. But I did find myself missing reality as time went on, so I think it’s great you’ve been able to get out more now. I think when you are forced to take so much time out of life you realize how beautiful it actually is, especially the smallest and simplest things that you find yourself missing more than you thought you would, like going on adventures and trying new foods. It sounds like you’re having so much fun getting back out and about now, which is great!!

      Thank you, lovely friend! I’ve been baking pies this afternoon… pecan down, pumpkin to go and apple in the freezer! Have a lovely weekend! x

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  7. The aesthetics! The writing! The everything! So good so good! I wish you the happiest of thanksgiving, and exactly like you said may you be able to slow down and enjoy the little blessings! 💛

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  8. I love this post, Megan!! I love how you always bring us back to the small moments that mean so much, if we only gave them some thought! I’m inspired – I so want to slow down as well and catch those little blessings! 🤗

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thank you lovely Makayla!! I do love thinking and talking and writing about how there’s beauty in the little moments, so I’m so happy that’s something you can take away from my writing! Much love as always! 🤗🤗

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    1. Thank you, lovely Rebekkah! Totally me too, with so much of what I write I’m writing this for me as much as anyone else, so I’m glad it could be a reminder for you! Thanks for reading!

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  10. Aw! Thank you so much for sharing this! It’s so easy to get caught up in life! I’ve been trying to remember to thank God for the little things. Like waking up to a beautiful sunrise and the freshly fallen snow! This is a beautiful post!
    -Haley

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  11. Pingback: The Best Blog Posts of November 2021 – Story of a Christian Girl

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