Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Success & Gratitude

If you wish to succeed in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius.
~ Joseph Addison


Sometimes I view success in life as just having strength to get through the days.  

Don't you?

Then there are other times, when, success in life means some great achievements you've been working toward.

I've been fighting illness for some time with the coming change of weather. It wouldn't be so bad but for the fact I've been having great difficulty sleeping, I'm working long hours on multiple projects, doing a lot of reading, keeping up with the day to day household needs and missions.  Last but not least, I've got a lot to do concerning looking after my mother's urgent care needs. 

I just started to feel good about things and then something happens to take the wind out of my sails and cause me stress.

Soon things have to change but I keep putting one foot in front of the other in the meantime and ask God to help me because the hill often seems too hard to climb.

Mombasa sunset.
It is also at times like this that it is important to take time to reflect and consider the blessings in our lives despite the difficult patches, trials and challenges.

Very soon it will be Thanksgiving here in Canada.
I have much to be thankful for and I am very grateful for all the many blessings which I do have.

A new friend asked me what I was doing for Thanksgiving.

He was having a last dinner with his aunt who is transitioning to a life of retirement and soon for him a lot of what he has come to know and rely on as his annual holiday rituals will change. He is missing it before it has disappeared.

Life often brings changes for us. While we have certain people in our lives that we love to spend time with, it is important to appreciate them and let them know how much we love them.

I am having a dinner this Thanksgiving with a small group of loved ones.  Amongst other things I have to do this week (like crocheting, sewing, working on a community project, sending Christmas cards to my sponsored kids, following up on care needs of my mom and touching bases with friends), I will be getting things organized for the dinner.

What about you dear reader?

Do you have Thanksgiving plans?
What ever you do, I hope you enjoy and appreciate those you spend time with.


"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things 
which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has."
 ~ Epictetus

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

This was such a great entry, it is important to be thankful (that is the one holiday I am so jealous of the US/Canada for!)
I hope you manage to get some good sleep soon and are feeling better xx

Coral Wild said...

I certainly hope your health improves soon xx

As always you have included some wonderful quotes - I particularly like the last one.

It's very easy to get a little down about one's own circumstances, and as you intimate if one works at looking at the good things one has, and how much tougher other people are having it, then it is much easier to be thankful, rather than dismal :)

Happy Thanksgiving.
We don't have it here but I think it is a great tradition.
Take care of yourself
Sue

Denise said...

Wonderful post.

Joyful said...

Hi Sue, I am more exhausted and stressed as a caregiver. The sickness or lingering cold issues are a side issue. I only want the best for my mother and I feel it is an uphill battle to get there but right now things are looking up a bit. I have a family member who may be able to help move things in the right direction. I do love Thanksgiving. It is a great tradition for sure.

Joy said...

We don't have thanksgiving here but I have always thought what a wonderful time it must be; but then, as you say Joyful, we can choose to be thankful and appreciative of the blessings around us in our daily lives and surely there are always more of those than there are of difficult situations and circumstances.
I'm sorry your health is under par and do hope that soon everything will be better not only for your Mum but for all the stress producing circumstances in your life.
Blessing of love and peace,
Joy xo

Joyful said...

Dear Joy, thank you for your wonderfully warm and caring comment. It is true we all go through good times and bad times. Sometimes the bad can go on for very long and be too much to bear. Yet even then there are blessings that are bestowed upon us. We must never take those things for granted. For example, daily most people can see, hear, smell, taste and touch and yet how many of us can truly give thanks for these things. It is usually when we can no longer do them that we realize they are blessings. If each day we remember the good things, we will never take anything for granted. Blessings to you and yours too.

Joyful said...

Aw, yes, I often forget that many places in the world do not have a Thanksgiving Day. In Canada ours is closely associated with the last great harvest before the long winter. I love Thanksgiving. Thanks for your well wishes. Despite the stress and sickness, I am making progress on all fronts. Blessings to you. xx

Joyful said...

Thank you dear heart. I appreciate your prayers so much. xx

Anonymous said...

Stunning shot.

Joyful said...

Thank you, Ladyfi!

Heldasland said...

What a lovely post.

Margie said...

I hope you feel better soon.
Have a most wonderful Thanksgiving.
We are going to Las Veags with family on our Thanksgiving.
It will be fun to be with family
I love Thanksgiving but glad I'm not cooking this year ...LOL

Gorgeous shot.

Margie
x

KT said...

Yes...it is often just getting through the days. I am thankful we get a couple weeks a year to get away from it all and just enjoy the wilderness - there is always peace there. Our Thanksgiving is in November and still some time away. I am looking forward to the winter this year in attempts to get more things done around the house.

Joyful said...

Thank you, Heldasland! Please come again any time ;-)

Joyful said...

Thank you Margie. Have fun in Vegas. I understand what you mean about making the dinner, lol. I don't have to make it if I don't want to so I'm okay with it when I do.

Joyful said...

Aw, another one who thinks like me. It is so wonderful that you do get out into the great wilderness. I don't do it much at all but nature in general makes me feel very centered and peaceful.

David C Brown said...

"Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might", Ecclesiastes 9: 10.
Grace be with you.

Beautiful April Sky

Hello friends and fellow bloggers, It's a beautiful April day in Vancouver and I'm enjoying the sun.  You can see people on the stre...