A Greatful Heart

Turn on the television these days and you’ll find just about every kind of makeover show possible. We seem to be drawn to this makeover madness by our desire for something fresh and new in our complicated, and sometimes disorganized lives.

I’ve recently become aware of a makeover I can do every day. It doesn’t cost a dime. It doesn’t require an expert. And it takes very little time.

Rather than the external makeovers we see on television, this is an internal makeover that starts in my head and moves to my heart. It is initially unseen by the outside world, but if I stay focused on this “inside job” it will eventually become very apparent to those around me.

This might be called an “extreme heart makeover,” because it moves my heart from grumbling to gratefulness.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I’m pursing this makeover as it pertains to the work I do for my family everyday. I sometimes exhibit an ungrateful attitude in doing these tasks when I forget what blessings the tasks actually represent. This week I'm working on a shift in thinking. I'm considering a different perspective.

As I evaluate all my responsibilities, I’ve discovered I'm thankful for:

■Laundry…because it means that my family has clothes to wear.
■Dishes…because it means that my family has food to eat.
■Bills…because it means that we have financial provisions.
■Making Beds…because it means we have a warm, soft place to rest at night.
■Dusting…because it means we have furniture to enjoy.
■Vacuuming…because it means we have a home to care for.
■Picking Up Toys…because it means I have children to bring joy to my life.
■Homework…because it means my children can learn and progress through life.

Would you like to join me in this exercise? What part of your life seems to be the most overwhelming? What do you grumble about most often? What tasks, responsibilities, or challenges bring about frustration or anger? Once identified, ask yourself what blessing you haven’t been able to see. Now focus on the blessing and thank God for what it means in your life. Watch your perspective change from grumbling to gratefulness in no time flat. The “extreme heart makeover” is available to every person, every home, and every family every day.

I can’t think of a better way to capture the essence of Thanksgiving.

By Jill Savage, founder and CEO of Hearts at Home