Thanksgiving will always be a bit bittersweet. I wrote this poem 4 years ago, about the contentment I felt in my life. One year later, many aspects of that life were falling down around my ears. Since then, I've learned an even deeper kind of contentment ... the kind that comes from going through hard things and finding God in them. The kind that you get from having a hard day where the kids are crying and the jobs coming in aren't matching the money going out and the dishes are piling up and you are on.your.own, but you're not, because when you call out for help right when that last thread is fraying, it'll be there. My appliances gleam less than what I'd like these days but I've fought in some trenches and managed to find contentment in each one. I know there will be more in my future, and I'll be counting my blessings in each of them. Thank you Jesus, for this life that's so sweet.
"Contentment"
By Teara McGinn
The toddler snuggles into her bed
And smiles at the kiss I place on her sweet head
We share a story and a cuddle or two
Then it's off to dreamland until the morning is blue.
I head to the kitchen where the warm lights glow;
aromas from a tasty dinner still flow.
I work away, soon the dishes are clean
The countertops tidy and appliances gleam
The lunches are packed, the laundry is stowed, a sense of gratitude for how this day has flowed.
My family around me, happy and well fed, smiles on their faces, words of love said.
I thank thee my lord for this life that's so sweet,
For the needs of my family I'm able to meet,
For the simple things that fill my heart,
And this sense of contentment at day's end and day's start.
Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82b0Tiy0ykk "Counting Every Blessing" by Rend Collective
Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82b0Tiy0ykk "Counting Every Blessing" by Rend Collective