The Best Exercise

We can debate strength training verses aerobic workouts, or short workout sessions verses ones that last hours, I suppose, but the greatest exercise is perfect for this time of year: Thankfulness.

 A lot of people this month are writing Facebook posts every day of what they are thankful for: from small delights of nature to large miracles of healing. Thankfulness is about perspective:  Am I looking at what I have or what I want?

 I can list of the members of my family, my business, my health quickly on a thankfulness list, but the exercise that really builds those muscles are the ones that are not easy:

I am thankful for difficult people because I can strengthen my patience muscle.

I am thankful for challenges because they teach me to overcome.

I am thankful for rules and taxes and tickets because they produce order and safety.

I am thankful when my kids spill because it reminds me that they are in fact children and it is just spilled milk.

I am thankful for a husband who sometimes comes home grumpy because it reminds me of the grace he gives me in the same situation.

I am thankful for the sweat that produces health; for cold stiff mornings after a big workout because that pain reminds me that I am getting stronger. I am thankful that my body will respond when I push it, and sometimes when it doesn’t as I age.

The Bible says  (Romans 5:3-5) “we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope and hope does not put us to shame…”

I am alive, I am not perfect or have everything I want, and I am thankful.

What are some not-so-obvious things you are thankful for?

~Amy