Mindful Of It All

Yesterday, I was walking past Grandma's room and a 3ABN show caught my attention. A woman with a cancer diagnosis was talking about thankfulness and how it was a big part of her healing journey. The host chimed in with a statement I can't remember verbatim, but the essence of her words had to with the command to be thankful IN all circumstances, and how that doesn't mean we have to be thankful for the circumstance itself. Her words really struck a chord with me. While I have been struggling with physical issues for a while now, the mental battle has been much more fierce. Depression can so easily go from a few weeks of feeling low to an all consuming way of life. Before I know it, a combination of issues related to sleep, diet, exercise, stress and the like can turn my mind into a dark world I cannot escape. While I may be able to express things I SHOULD be grateful for, it doesn't always register it in my heart and mind. It occurs to me though that like most things, gratitude takes practice. I may not "feel" it right away, but the effects of focusing on things I am thankful for will eventually effect the way my mind functions, and will become a way of life rather than something I have to work at. So, after years of hearing about these things, I finally started a gratitude journal. I'm starting off small, just two entries today, but they were honest and deeply felt. God asks us to be thankful in all circumstances, I know there is a reason, and I know part of my healing will come from following this counsel.