Be Thankful

Thanksgiving is a time of reflection… a day to remind us to always be grateful for everything!  A friend sent me this poem and I felt the need to share it with you:

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something,

for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.

During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,

because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,

because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary,

because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,

and they can become your blessings.

No matter what situation we face in life, there is always something to be thankful for.  Even if we don't have that much as far as material things, there are still so much things to appreciate. It can be non- material things…things that are not seen…things that to some, seem insignificant – loving family, true friends, love, good health, emotional stability, peace of mind, spiritual fulfillment, etc.  These are all priceless blessings from God that we often take for granted. It can also be things that we didn’t get or that didn’t happen - illnesses and financial problem that didn’t come our way, those losses we didn’t experience, accidents that didn’t occur to any of our family members. For me, these are things that we should be more thankful for. And though, it’s so difficult, we should also be thankful for all the tough times in our life. Tough times could bring us so much pain but they make us grow and show us the love and power of God. Everything happens for a reason and God wants us to realize this, and be thankful for everything whether good or bad. He wants us to learn to be content in whatever circumstance we are in. He wants us to look to our current and past challenges and failures and find something positive in there, and give thanks for it. This is what full gratitude means, and this is what Thanksgiving Day is all about.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! May today bring peace and contentment within you…May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be… May you turn your whole life over to Him and never cease to give Him thanks…May you keep gratitude alive in your heart and make every day Thanksgiving Day!!!

Always So Thankful...

Thanksgiving Day is here again and as I reflect on all my many blessings, I want to share with you some things I am most thankful for:


1. I am thankful to God for His care, goodness, love, mercy…and His grace which is more than enough for each new day. I am thankful for my faith which enables me to have extreme confidence in all areas of my life, knowing there is a divine plan for everything.


2. I am thankful for the kindness, compassion, patience and unconditional love that I got from two of the most important people in my life - my wonderful parents who taught me everything there is to learn by mere example of their lives.


3. I am thankful for the wonderful family that I have been blessed with...my parents, my brother, my grandparents, my aunts, uncles and cousins from the Flores, Lopez & Aguila sides. We have always been extremely close and I have always felt blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.


4. I am thankful for the family I found when I married Ryan. The De Guzman’s and Mendoza’s have always been supportive & so loving, and are truly a good substitute for my own.


5. I am thankful for getting up each morning to the warm kisses of my husband. He’s such a wonderful man who inspires me daily, works so hard, and loves and understands me no matter what, like no one ever has!


6. I am thankful for my daughters who give me endless happiness and sometimes, headaches. They give me the reason to get up and keep going everyday. I’m thankful for being able to watch them grow and learn, and for all the games, stories, hugs, kisses, laughter and love we share.


7. I am thankful for all the love from family, relatives and friends I experience in my life every single day which makes me see the beauty of life.


8. I am thankful for friends near and far…in real life & online…for the joy and laughter they bring…for all the memories they help create.


9. I am thankful for my creativity, my artistic mind and hands…that bring smiles to my loved ones’ face & heart and even to mine.


10. I am thankful for having my heart broken, so that I can better understand what I have now, what a blessing and a gift love truly is!


11. I am thankful for nature which my family loves...its wonderful color that pleases my eyes... the lake and the sea where Ryan and Clarise could fish...the beautiful flowers, butterflies and birds that give Cherlin delight.


12. I am thankful for the hard times. Hard times keep me on track. They give me great empathy and some wisdom. I learn from them, and they make me proud to see myself growing, adapting, rather than shrinking away afraid.


13. I am so thankful for modern science…for phones…for the internet…for yahoo…for facebook. Keeping in touch with my family & friends from anywhere in the world is a lot easier!!!


14. At this very moment, I am so thankful to my very good friend Carmi for inviting us to spend thanksgiving with her family! If not for her, I'll be so busy today and won't get the chance to write this. (",)


Life is tough, and it is so easy to give in to the stress of daily life and complain about all the things we think are wrong with our lives. We always see what we don't have instead of what we have….bad things instead of good ones. But life is good and God has given us a great deal to be thankful for! We should just open our eyes and learn to count our blessings more than our sorrows, never overlooking the small ones. Remember small ones add up to a bigger one…


I do thank each of you for the part you play in my life. Without you, it would be a little or maybe a lot different.


I love just the way my life is…


Happy Thanksgiving!!! Make EVERYDAY Thanksgiving Day!!!