Yesterday while driving to work, I saw a sign in someone’s yard that said, “Gratitude unexpressed is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

I thought about it (which is exactly why they always put things up there) and thought how very grateful I am for everything in my life. It has taken me years to get to the point where I can be grateful for the so-called “bad” stuff.

I used to be thankful when things went my way and threw myself one heck of a pity party when they didn’t. All I ended up with when I had that attitude was a roller coaster ride called life. I was high on life when things went my way and then “whoa is me” was my motto when they didn’t. When I had that attitude, things didn’t go my way as much as I would have liked.

Funny how that happens…

Over the years, I’ve struggled in many ways: financially, physically, emotionally (no comments from the peanut gallery,) and spiritually. I tried what seemed to be everything and just ended up in the same place - back in a hole of financial stress, emotionally drained, overweight and tired, and questioning everything, with no real spiritual connection.

And then everything changed…

I read the book, Codependent No More and woke up. I’ve told the story before about how that was my wake up call to get out of my totally dysfunctional marriage and give myself permission to become the person I knew I was meant to be.

When married, I always fought with my husband’s demeaning of my ability and talent. It was a struggle to have a motivational website and be married to the most negative man alive and deal with it on a daily basis. After going through the motions for what seemed like forever, I just decided I was worth more than I was living and was time to move on. I just didn’t know how.

And then fate stepped in…

One Conversation Changed Everything

Sitting in an ice cream shop, across from my daughter’s friend’s mom, a mere acquaintance, the words, “I’ve got two rooms downstairs; you’re welcome to stay with us” changed my life. And I’ll be forever grateful to her…

Long story short - we moved in and started over. That was the first step of my new journey. Sweet relief. Peace. No more floor made of eggshells.

I wish I could say I did everything the easiest way possible but that’s far from the truth. That’s a story for another time.

Moving along a few months… I ran across a man who we shared a couple of mutual friends and we started talking.

My friend I lived with invited me to her church to see Joyce Meyer speak. I’ve watched her on TV and read her books, so I jumped at the chance. When we were there, I ran into this guy I had talked with and found out he went to church there as well. Small world.

That night, I felt like she was talking directly to me. It was as if it were about my life. I knew that wasn’t coincidence… I felt so at home. I decided that night that my life was going to change and change it did.

I started attending church there weekly and loved it. Felt very much at home… At the Christmas Eve service, I sat with the friend I ran across I spoke of earlier. That was the start of our friendship. We talked a bit more and just slowly got to know each other. We sat together at church, and one day, out of the blue, he mentioned something about having a rental home opening up. I jumped at the chance and saw it that day.

It was perfect…

I could go on, but my point is this… I’ve had SO MUCH incredible stuff happen to me since I made the choice to not settle for what little I was getting that I feel the need to express my gratitude for everything that’s happened to me. Granted, there’s been the downs with the ups but I just feel so much more equipped to handle them now…

I’ve been so truly blessed with friendship, resources, opportunities and health that I can honestly say it’s hard to believe… I guess I’m just one lucky lady…