Gratitude

What is gratitude and why do I want it?
Oh, Boy.When that question came into my life, I had a lot to learn (and still do) . Over the last 3 years the lesson God seems to be pounding into my head is learn to be thankful, to have and show my gratitude.
If you have never seen the movie Courageous, I highly recommend it. Done by a church in Albany, Georgia, it has some great lessons and is a good guy flick that you can watch together. There is a follow-up book for men and women. I got the one for a woman, imagine that, "The Resolution for Women". The first chapter was about being content with where God has you right now, which requires being grateful for all He has given you.
Well, when you live in a small cabin, in the middle of no where with no amenities, "thank you" is not the first thing on your mind. But as I read the chapter, I started seeing what He had given me. Then I started to see that He gave me everything I HAD to have, that is, needed. What was making me dissatisfied were the things I thought I needed or wanted, but didn't have yet. And as I started to read any other chapter, I would go back to the first one on gratitude.
Just to make sure I was getting the point (with God there are no coincidences), the women's group at AVEFC (my church) started a Bible study on Gratitude. This was a very nice one from Ann Voskamp that helps get you thinking about being thankful for every thing, big and little. God has put you where you are for a reason and He likes to show us big and small things that we can turn to our Abba, Father and say, "Thank you." The study is called "One Thousand Gifts."
I started a little diary of things I was thankful for, and started taking pictures of things I was thankful for. But eventually, I stopped writing and rarely took pictures. I did not, however, forget to thank God for the things and people in my life. I just was not recording them.
I think that was part of why I started a blog, to note what things I was grateful for and share them (see FrontierLivingToday). Writing on the computer comes much easier for me and is a natural outlet.
What has being grateful done for me? Helped make me content, instead of thinking my life will be better when . . . . What a trap that is. A person can never be happy or contented without gratitude for what is theirs right then.
Is that a trap for you, too? Do you find yourself thinking, things will be better when I get married, or get a new car, or move away from here. No. You cannot find happiness. It is a decision you make to be happy, grateful, content. Working towards goals is good, but letting the obtaining of the goal define if you are happy, makes happiness unattainable.
Learn to see all the things that you have, and that God has blessed you with. Be grateful right here and now. You will start to change how you even talk to yourself with things like, "Wow, that light changed to green right as I needed it to," or "That shadow of the tree is really striking with the sun behind it like that," or even "I am thankful for running water."

May you find all things new in Him,
Frontier Woman @ FrontierChristianLiving

Not Another Blog

Why in the world would I start another blog when I don't really even have a following for my Frontier Living Today blog? Good question and I don't really have a good answer. Just 'cause I felt lead to do so.
I have been learning a lot in the last 4 years. I have been a Christian for 30 years, and was wanting to be closer to God and more Christ-like when I converted. It was a gentle slide toward believing in God and who Jesus was to asking Him into my heart. No big fireworks, nor did I have any demonic exorcisms. A few years later I got a divorce after my then husband had his 2nd affair since we had been together. (That was a long story made into a sentence!)
I stopped going to church (we had moved) and went through a time of experimentation. Although I still believed, it was pushed aside for a couple years of fun and games. I went through another serious relationship that bombed and I left it. I then moved again.
I decided to learn to be a masseuse. There wasn't enough money to pay for the certification, so I signed up to work off the tuition. I was good at office work and computers. Doing massage was enjoyable and I kept the new age, open-yourself-up mindset to a minimum. It made me very uncomfortable. I gathered a few Christian clients and worked for two chiropractors.
I started going to a small church. The people lived the message they taught. It was a chance to start learning again. Over the next couple of years, I switched churches 3 times and moved. Then I got married and moved again. I willingly became unequally yoked to a non-Christian man. Another long story made short.
I then didn't attend church for years. I did keep my faith and prayed a lot including for my husband's salvation.
A few years ago, we felt an urge to move to the country. We had gotten tired of city living. An ad for property in Aeneas Valley caught Frontier Hubby's attention. After a few months of looking around, we bought a parcel. God was placing us exactly where we needed to be but we didn't know it yet. (Long story made short #3)
In 2010 we moved up here, living in a shed we had built for storage. We made it livable with insulation. It was a place to sleep and keep warm. Hubby saw a sign for a local church and said we should try it sometime. I was very happy to hear him willing to do so. A new friend of ours also invited us to attend, so we did. We have been going there ever since. A few months later, hubby went from being a diehard atheist to a Christian. (My fourth long story made short.)
Our learning seems to be accelerated to a daily occurrence. God is blessing us as we move to seeing the world through His eyes and understanding more about Him. We have made many friends through the church and neighbors.
Frontier Hubby and I have lived a rather volatile life arguing almost endlessly. Most of the stuff was minutia. Our walk with God has brought us closer than ever and the problems are much fewer and far between.
Every day the beauty surround us gives me pause to thank God that we are here and to see what He has created. There is no way to capture it all. May you enjoy the small moments in pictures that we do capture.
This platform is for me to bring up whatever I am learning. Even if I think I have learned something, God manages to show me there is a long way to go. I am so grateful for His patience with me and that He not only allowed me to marry Frontier Hubby, but brought hubby into the family of Christian brothers and sisters who love the Lord and show us love and grace.

In Him,
Frontier Woman @ frontierChristianLiving.blogspot.com