Tonight I watched the recent episode of one of the new and very popular show This is Us. My husband calls it a soap opera. I don’t care – it’s great. At the end of the episode, the mother character gets a basket of laundry and begins to reminisce about the days gone by. Days when the washer broke down, days before she even had a washing machine, and the day her husband surprised her with the fancy new-now-old washer and dryer set. She was appreciating life, in all its little ways.
So I turned off the TV and headed to the kitchen. I pulled out meat and cheese from the fridge to make my husband sandwiches. Opening the new loaf of bread, I smelled that yummy fresh bread smell and immediately was thankful that Mick and I got to grocery shop together today. And as I made the sandwiches, I became thankful that I even had the time to make them. The appreciation and thanks rolled through my mind so fast I could barely keep up.
Banana bread sitting on the counter reminding me of good friends who helped me make it. Dishes in the sink reminding me that I had time today to tackle most of them. A mug left out reminding me of my tea-drinking kind of morning.
After sealing up the bags, I wrote a note on them as I thanked God for my husband. I put everything back in the fridge and went to close the sliding door (kept open for Anchor, of course :)). As I closed it, I saw the back patio that my parents had swept off. Thank You. I turned off lights and went to rouse my sleeping puppy. Thank You. I looked around at the home I get to live in. Thank You.
Ann Voskamp calls it Eucharisteo – thanksgiving with the understanding of grace. It’s the little things, sometimes. The warm blankets on your bed, the evening quiet, a day off from work. But we have to take the time to see them. Let your heart be filled with thanks, especially during this season. I, for one, am going to practice seeing these things. It feels good, and it nourishes the soul, quite honestly making you a healthier person all around. And you, dear friend, should watch This is Us.
❤
Notes make me happy
To Capture Today 