To Make the Bed or To Not Make the Bed
“The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God,” Psalm 50:23.
When we were younger, my little brother and I had daily chores; one of which was to make our beds every morning before we started our day. That habit continued with me throughout life. When my husband and I met, we, like many couples, had the debate over whether or not it was necessary to make our bed each day. After all, it gets messed up again when we crawl back in at the end of the day. Although I felt very strongly about making our bed each day, I couldn’t convince him that it was important until I took a different approach in how I viewed it.
See, I used to view making my bed as a way of being responsible and having self-discipline. That mindset made “making the bed” less enjoyable, even for me. In reality, the simple act of making our bed is less about self-discipline and more about BEING THANKFUL. It’s about showing gratitude for the many “luxuries” we have access to and often take for granted.
Whether we feel content with where our lives are right now, or we wish things were different in some way, we can ALWAYS make the decision to be THANKFUL for something, and we can always be proactive about cultivating gratitude in our daily lives. To do so, here are three simple things we can incorporate into our routine throughout our day.
As we start our day, let’s thank God for three “luxuries” for which we are grateful, such as the bed we got to sleep in, the hot shower we got to take, or the food we got to eat, and then let’s pray for those in the world who don’t have those things. For example, the next time we make our bed, let’s say this simple prayer. “Dear God, thank you for the warm, safe, comfortable bed we were able to sleep in last night. We pray for those who don’t have that, and we ask that you provide them with warmth, safety, and comfort. Amen.” Repeat that prayer while enjoying other “luxuries” throughout your day. This simple prayer will not only make the task of making our beds a little more enjoyable, but it will help us start our day with a grateful heart.
As we go through our day, let’s try to recognize and vocalize gratitude for at least one person in our life. Every person we encounter serves a purpose in our lives, even the more “challenging” ones.
Before we close our eyes and go to sleep, let’s reflect on our day and offer up a prayer of thanksgiving for a challenge we experienced…yes, a challenge! After all, the challenges and trials in our lives can serve as the best opportunities for growth and development.
Let’s proactively cultivate gratitude in our lives for one week and see how we feel. During that week, let’s keep our minds and our hearts open to the possibilities that may unfold. If we’re starting to see and feel a difference at the end of the week, let’s give it two weeks and then three. Remember, it only takes 21 days to create a habit, and who can think of a better habit to create than the habit of THANKSGIVING?! Thanksgiving is also one of the most important elements of worship. It not only glorifies God, but it trains us to be more aware of His care in our lives.
Ashley Rae Klinger
Mrs. International 2020
When we were younger, my little brother and I had daily chores; one of which was to make our beds every morning before we started our day. That habit continued with me throughout life. When my husband and I met, we, like many couples, had the debate over whether or not it was necessary to make our bed each day. After all, it gets messed up again when we crawl back in at the end of the day. Although I felt very strongly about making our bed each day, I couldn’t convince him that it was important until I took a different approach in how I viewed it.
See, I used to view making my bed as a way of being responsible and having self-discipline. That mindset made “making the bed” less enjoyable, even for me. In reality, the simple act of making our bed is less about self-discipline and more about BEING THANKFUL. It’s about showing gratitude for the many “luxuries” we have access to and often take for granted.
Whether we feel content with where our lives are right now, or we wish things were different in some way, we can ALWAYS make the decision to be THANKFUL for something, and we can always be proactive about cultivating gratitude in our daily lives. To do so, here are three simple things we can incorporate into our routine throughout our day.
As we start our day, let’s thank God for three “luxuries” for which we are grateful, such as the bed we got to sleep in, the hot shower we got to take, or the food we got to eat, and then let’s pray for those in the world who don’t have those things. For example, the next time we make our bed, let’s say this simple prayer. “Dear God, thank you for the warm, safe, comfortable bed we were able to sleep in last night. We pray for those who don’t have that, and we ask that you provide them with warmth, safety, and comfort. Amen.” Repeat that prayer while enjoying other “luxuries” throughout your day. This simple prayer will not only make the task of making our beds a little more enjoyable, but it will help us start our day with a grateful heart.
As we go through our day, let’s try to recognize and vocalize gratitude for at least one person in our life. Every person we encounter serves a purpose in our lives, even the more “challenging” ones.
Before we close our eyes and go to sleep, let’s reflect on our day and offer up a prayer of thanksgiving for a challenge we experienced…yes, a challenge! After all, the challenges and trials in our lives can serve as the best opportunities for growth and development.
Let’s proactively cultivate gratitude in our lives for one week and see how we feel. During that week, let’s keep our minds and our hearts open to the possibilities that may unfold. If we’re starting to see and feel a difference at the end of the week, let’s give it two weeks and then three. Remember, it only takes 21 days to create a habit, and who can think of a better habit to create than the habit of THANKSGIVING?! Thanksgiving is also one of the most important elements of worship. It not only glorifies God, but it trains us to be more aware of His care in our lives.
Ashley Rae Klinger
Mrs. International 2020
The Need is Great - Make an Impact - BE A FOSTER
"Encouraging families to make an impact in the life of a child and be a foster."
"Encouraging families to make an impact in the life of a child and be a foster."
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