Thursday, December 11, 2014

The Gratitude Experiment ~ Over 3 1/2 weeks in

My kids have been super busy today.

Actually, it started yesterday.  Rainy came to me and asked if I had any magazines that she could look through to find some "fun stuff".  I reluctantly handed over the year subscription of my Real Simple magazine I had gotten as a birthday gift a few years ago.  I like to decorate with them.  The covers are so simple, with the perfect seasonal splash of color, so I've hung onto them as they resurface every so often in different places around our home.  Like in a basket or under a bowl or propped up against a vase.  The possibilities are endless.

But she asked so sweet...

And here is where she has been ever since.

It began yesterday afternoon and carried on through the evening as she bagged them up for Journey rehearsal night.  Then, as soon as breakfast was over she even reigned in the boys and they got back to work.  They have cut out people and outfits for their "dolls".  They have cell phones and makeup for them.  They even cut out display pages that they have taped to a box to make a house for their little people!  It's been so fun to watch.

I've been watching and listening.

They are working together.
The girls will scour the magazines for inappropriate photos to rip out so Zeke doesn't see them.
They are being creative.
They are sharing.
They haven't turned on a single appliance (besides Zeke's early morning superhero drawing movie he made with the iPad).

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Josh and I continue to be shocked at how productive we have all been and how creative they have gotten in their play, even with track out and cold rainy days.  They haven't missed their toys at all!

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Personally I have realized just how much I grab for my phone.  It is absolutely ridiculous how much I rely on it for mindless activity.  Like those few minutes I am standing in line at the grocery store, or waiting on the kids to finish up a task, or between activities...

I am having to mentally train my brain to shift during these idle moments.  Shifting them to focus on the Lord in prayer, gratefulness and thankfulness.

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We have been fixing the same meals every week and I'm beginning to forget what we have had each night, as it tends to feel like we are eating the same things every night, ha!  But have the kids complained one time about eating the same things?  Nope.  Not once.

In fact, food is Cai's thing, and he continues to ask God every day to be grateful for the food that we get to eat every night and to not complain about our snacks.  It is so sweet:)

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So, yup, we are in this experiment for the long haul, and don't have a single regret about it!  Less is more in the land of contentment.

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