I have choices to make every day when I get up.

Begin my day talking to myself or talking to Jesus.

Make the bed or leave it be.

This outfit or that one.

Oatmeal or a PopTart.

The choices continue throughout the day.

Hurry to open the door for that person with hands full or drag behind to avoid helping.

Be the first to speak kind words or remain in my own little world and not reach out.

Share that rumor or keep it to myself and just share it with Jesus.

Offer the extra food packed for the day or save it for tomorrow.

Allow the car in front of me extra room or demand my space on the road.

Home-cooked or restaurant.

Give up my free time to serve others or watch the game.

Finish my day with gratitude and sweet words of affirmation or finish my day with bitterness and worry and regret.

No matter what the headlines shout, the world only has two stories: bless God or curse God.
No matter what the world tries to sell, we all only get to choose from two shelves: Give God thanks, or Give God the door.
No matter what we’re facing, there are always only two roads: thanksgiving to God or dismiss God. – Ann Voskamp

It’s another choice. And through the hard times, through the working out my faith, through the introspection and discovery of who I am, I have found that giving thanks and being grateful for not only the delights in the everyday but also the festering battles that seem to have no end is the key to embracing that one-of-a-kind peace that only Jesus can give. And in that peace, there is an absence of worry and misery that weighed me down for all of my adulthood.

I can choose to wear the mask of “I’m fine,” the mask of “Look at me, I’m a righteous Christian,” or I can choose to be real and wear the face God gave to me, the face that shows the world that I am human, I am unworthy, I am a saint who sins, I am rescued and grateful, and I am loved unconditionally IN SPITE of myself.

If you let something steal your thanksgiving, then you let something steal your joy, and if you let something steal your joy, you let something steal your strength. – Ann Voskamp

I am grateful for those in my life who get it.

I am grateful for the realization after over half my life has been lived, that I was not always right in my righteousness, that my concept and perception of Jesus and his teachings were askewed, that in order to grow in my faith, I couldn’t hang on to the coattails of my youth, but I had to put in the time and work out my faith for myself.

I am grateful that in spite of my messed up example as a Mom, my daughters are pursuing Jesus on their own journey and are not hanging on to the coattails of their youth.

I am grateful that Katrina and Zak share their favorite books with me that have opened my eyes to a different way of following Jesus.

I am grateful for the tapestry of my life that has been formed with so many different experiences, some delightful and some festering battles, a tapestry rich in history and tradition, taught by good examples and the not-so-good.

Jesus hung out with the most marginalized and disrespected people of society, and he was fiercely opposed to anyone representing him in a hypocritical way. His words should not only shock us but also make us fear, because they were written just as much to us Christians today as they were to the religious leaders of his day, the Pharisees.

I have certainly focused on outward appearance and made extra to-do lists to add to my salvation, all the while neglecting the simple needs of others. I’m often more Pharisee than saint. I’d rather people tell me how awesome I am than how awesome Jesus is. I’d rather concentrate on other people’s sins before I look at my own. More often than not, I sense the toxic Pharisee spirit rising up within me. – Jeff Bethke

Choices.  Today, I choose saint over Pharisee. Today, I choose to hear how awesome Jesus is. Today, I choose to focus on my own sin and no one else’s.  I choose to give thanks and receive joy. I choose to be joyful and become stronger.

This day, I choose God’s grace that covers my human condition, and for that, I am grateful.