Sunday, November 23, 2008

Gratitude Week -- Sunday

{Rebecca has instituted Gratitude Week in blogland, and I think it's a simply brilliant idea.}

Today I am feeling grateful for progress.

Max had some friends over yesterday to practice their orchestra pieces. He has come a very long way in just over a year. Fortunately, the cello never really sounds bad, but I'm guessing that most parents of string players are highly appreciative of progress.

More garage work yesterday, and no, we are still not finished! How I wish I had taken a before picture and then one every Saturday. Big projects like this that stretch out for months are difficult for me. I have such a hard time seeing how much has already been accomplished -- it seems my focus is always on the work yet to be done.

Marc has been helping me along the way to feel good about how many carloads we've taken to D.I. and how much trash we've disposed of. I'm trying.

Here's some progress I can really feel good about! Marc recruited some strong neighbors and brought up the new bookshelf yesterday. No, we haven't found a great shelf solution yet. But we are one big step closer to liberating our books from their long storage! That brings a smile to my face.

I want to improve in my ability to see and appreciate progress. I feel sure that greater happiness lies therein. Better still, I'd like to be a better agent of progress. I'm grateful for a Heavenly Father and friends and family who love me despite the seeming lack of progress in my life. I'm working on it. And I'm so happy that I feel loved, despite my imperfections, despite the large amount of work yet to be done.

7 comments:

Susan said...

I so relate to your feelings that you're not getting very far! I tend to always see the things that didn't get done, even when I did get a lot done! I see the remaining things on my list and it makes me feel I didn't get anything done! (That frustrated the others who were helping too!)

The bookshelves look cool, but are you saying that there are no shelves???!! Perhaps we should call them something else! That looks like it could be challenging! The easiest thing would be to put glass shelves in, but the look just would't be right. I suppose you could cut some 1" pine and paint them black. Dad might be able to help! And I love arranging books with some other fun decor for interest.

It will be interesting to see how these turn out!

Jill said...

Getting the bookshelf moved into the house and out of the garage is huge progress, woohoo!

I think progress in life is usually slow and steady, really who ever really changes or succeeds overnight?

rebecca said...

I love this! I need to be grateful for the progress that occurs instead of always looking beyond, too. My mother says that she is into "the product, not the process" sometimes, which makes the months of garage clean-out tedious, but the end result - FAB!

carlo said...

i love the pic of the students hard at work.

as a mother of a 5th grade viola playing daughter in her 2nd year, progress on any level is surely appreciated! :)

love the black! and your words on progress are very well taken. progress is my word for the year. i have loved it and i think i have made progress this year

Liz said...

Grest gratitude post! I think it is baby steps all the way! Love that cute red purse in the background of the shelf picture!

Diana said...

I have such a hard time being grateful for progess. I want the results right away.
I appreciate you posting this and making me think.
I like your bookshelf.

Barb said...

I imagine this is a busy week for you with American Thanksgiving. Good for you for taking the time to express your gratitude.

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