Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Guest Blogger: Marie writes about gratitude


I’m Marie Olson, wife, mother-of-three, and owner of a little Etsy shop called Not Very Domestic. I also happen to be Granny Green’s favorite daughter! (Yes, she is my favorite daughter!) You can follow me on Instagram @notverydomestic to see what crafty stuff I’m up to.




With Thanksgiving fast approaching, stuffing… uh, I mean, Gratitude, has been on my mind.  I think gratitude is a lot more than going around the table and listing off your blessings once a year.  The virtue of gratitude is an action. True gratitude is a way of living.

As the wife of a med student and mother of three living 2000 miles from home and subsisting on student loans, I’ve had a lot of opportunities to count my blessings, and a lot of practice developing the virtue of gratitude in my life. I’ve been pondering the subject recently, I have come up with a few practical things we can all do to live more gratefully.

Take Care of Your Stuff

When we don’t take care of our things, it suggests that we don’t care about our things. Whether it be our home, our car, our clothes, or our toys, it is important to take the time to maintain and care for our possessions. Failing to do so is, quite frankly, an act of ingratitude. This is something I am constantly trying to teach my children.  So often, I find myself saying “If you can’t take care of the stuff you have now, I’m going to stop buying you new things.” Pretty sure I need to follow through a little better.

Be Content

Live within your means. Waste not, want not. Make do or do without. Don’t worry about what the Joneses are up to. It is very easy to spend time dreaming of the day I can fill a closet full of new clothes, or own a brand new piece of furniture, or even just do the dishes in a dishwasher. Doing so causes me to overlook all of my blessings. I have a happy, healthy family, a warm house, and food on the table.  We do not do without any necessity.  Which leads me to my next suggestion….

Turn Off the TV

And while you’re at it, log off Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.  Ok, ok, so that may be a little extreme, but I hope you catch my drift.  When one is constantly bombarded with advertisements and the social-media-filtered lives of your “friends” it’s easy to feel like you’re missing out. You’re not. I promise.

Give Thoughtfully and Sparingly

Black Friday is coming. I’m pretty sure it starts on Thanksgiving these days. Kind of ironic. I think I’ll be staying home. I’m a little afraid of being trampled by crazed shoppers.  It is wise and prudent to buy things on sale and to stretch your money.  Just be careful not to stretch it so far that the boxes under your tree are full of meaningless junk.  It really is that thought that counts.  Your loved ones will appreciate a thoughtful gift far more than a bunch of stuff you bought because it was on sale.  And remember, Christmas really isn’t about the presents. Neither is Thanksgiving for that matter. And grateful people don’t trample others in pursuit of a cheap iPhone.

Nurture Relationships

If we value something, we make an effort to care for it. The people in our life are our greatest blessings. Be kind, spend quality time together, and serve those you love. 

I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving filled with good food and people you love!

-Marie
 
You can follow Marie on Instagram @notverydomestic or check out her Etsy Shop!
 
Visit my Guest Blogger Page to get to know all my blogging friends!
 
 
Happy Running!
 
 

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