THANKFUL FOR _______________

 HAPPY (day after) THANKSGIVING!

On Monday, I threw out a little CHALLENGE to all of us (me included).

It is Day 5 of our 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE.  Today.....

• I'm THANKFUL for _______________

I think today, I just need to FILL IN THE BLANK!

Have you ever been so down...so beat up....so uncomfortable with how you feel?

You are so tired you can't sleep.

You are so angry you are sad.

What in the world is there to be THANKFUL FOR?

Ever been there?

Maybe you are there today.

I've been there.

Every time I'm encouraged to be THANKFUL, I say, "but, you don't know....."  Except I realize that no matter how big my "but" is, what I need to be THANKFUL FOR is SO much BIGGER!

I know things are missing....BUT what do I have?

• When I'm hurting, I have FRIENDS, FAMILY and my CHEERLEADER that are ALWAYS here for me
• When I'm lost, I have my relationship with the Lord that guides me back to where I need to be
• I have a great family (parents; siblings; spouse; sons; etc)
• I get to WAKE up every day and impact the world around me

Take inventory......NOT to what is missing.  NOT to what was lost.

Take inventory to what you do have.  Some are things....most are not.

Have an Attitude of Gratitude!

Find even the little things and be THANKFUL FOR ___________. 

How about you take the last 5 days as a CHALLENGE to look for things, EVERY day that you are THANKFUL FOR?  I know you can.

TIM'S 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE:

• DAY 1
• I'm THANKFUL for my relationship with the Lord
• DAY 2
• I'm THANKFUL for US
• DAY 3
• I'm THANKFUL for FAMILY
• DAY 4
• I'm THANKFUL for HEALTH
• DAY 5
• I'm THANKFUL for __________

THANKFUL FOR HEALTH

 It is Day 4 of our 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE.  And today is THANKSGIVING!

Today.....

• I'm THANKFUL for HEALTH!

HEALTH.

Have you ever taken your HEALTH for granted?

I know I have.

In my life, over the years, as I have "seasoned," I realized there were certain things I either couldn't do or shouldn't do.  Things I could control.

But when your HEALTH is compromised by something you can't control, that is a whole different level.

I have talked about my diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer here in the BEST YEAR YET blog, but during this 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE, I thought I would share some more.

Speaking for myself (I hope this will encourage someone else too), I can't speak for how others approach what they are going through.

I felt, and still feel, that my FAITH is a driving force in my life.   I have leaned in, heavily, on it for years...and this would not be an exception.  

Even with STRONG FAITH, I had times where I struggled....not knowing how I would be in 6 months, a year, 5 years, etc.

I took my HEALTH for granted.

I had things I still wanted to do:

• Run a marathon in every state
• Run all 6 of the World Marathon Majors (at the time of the diagnosis IN 2016, I had run 1)
• Play with my grandkids someday (none yet)
• Travel the world with the CHEERLEADER
• Write a book
• Go to all the Major League Baseball stadiums
• and on and on my list goes

Would my "LIVE LIST" be compromised because my HEALTH wouldn't allow me to LIVE like I wanted to?

I am blessed and very fortunate.

The cancer that was in my body was caught early.  It was contained to one area (my prostate) and had not spread.  When my prostate was removed, so to was all the cancer.

Today, I am cancer free!  As a precaution for the next 10 years (now 6 years), every 6 months I have to go in for a check up and blood work.  Small price to pay to take care of my HEALTH!

I don't take my HEALTH for granted anymore.   No matter how much more "seasoned" I become, I am very aware of the gift I have been given called LIFE.

How about you?

When was the last time you went to the doctor to get a physical?

Maybe for you it isn't physical.  Maybe it's the mental side of dealing with stress, perceived failure and such.

Go in for a check up.  Go talk to someone.  Go get help.

Don't take your HEALTH (physically and/or mentally) for granted.

Take care of your body and your mind....they are the only ones you will ever have.

Today, I'm THANKFUL for HEALTH!

TIM'S 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE:

• DAY 1
• I'm THANKFUL for my relationship with the Lord
• DAY 2
• I'm THANKFUL for US
• DAY 3
• I'm THANKFUL for FAMILY
• DAY 4
• I'm THANKFUL for HEALTH

THANKFUL FOR FAMILY

 

It is Day 3 of our 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE.  Today....

• I'm THANKFUL for FAMILY!

FAMILY....I was just thinking about the "perfect" family.  

My FAMILY's not perfect.....I'm in it and since I'm not perfect, there goes perfection!

Just like in a marriage, a FAMILY is made up of individuals with different ideas, up-bringing, styles, etc....ALL in one FAMILY!

I come from a family of 8 kids.

I have 3 kids (now adults).

My 3 sons have differing opinions.

My 7 other siblings have differing opinions.

The CHEERLEADER and I, at times, have differing opinions.

The commonality.....WE.ARE.FAMILY!

No matter what is going on, at the end of the day, WE.ARE.FAMILY!

We've been there, for each other for births, deaths, joys, pains, birthdays, weddings, events, etc. 

We've cried with each other.

We've laughed with each other.

We've laughed AT each other.

We've welcomed new FAMILY members in.

We've sadly said good-bye to others.

All the while...the fact remains, WE.ARE.FAMILY!

During this time of THANKSGIVING and in our 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE, remember the FAMILY that you have or come from.  

Reach out...mend fences....it's never too late to fix things....NEVER!

What are you THANKFUL for?

TIM'S 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE:

• DAY 1
• I'm THANKFUL for my relationship with the Lord
• DAY 2
• I'm THANKFUL for US
• DAY 3
• I'm THANKFUL for FAMILY

THANKFUL FOR US

In this week of the "5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE," I wanted to make this my DAY 2 entry:

• I'm THANKFUL for US!

This is one of my favorite pictures of the two of us for a couple reasons:

• It not 100% in focus
• Like our lives, we haven't always been "in focus" when it comes to doing life.  There were many times I "dropped the ball"...maybe a few times she did too.  But through it all, we always get back into focus.

• I'm hunched over
• Not the best of posture....but I am holding her up.  We went through more "stuff" in the last 9 years then we had in the previous 26...at least it seemed that way.  But one thing continues to remain, we hold each other up.  WE.ARE.TEAM.PETERSON.

THIS.IS.US!

Going forward, we'll probably "drop the ball" somewhere along the line and we'll most likely have more "stuff" to deal with, but we'll fight through it TOGETHER.

A few years ago, my mom sent me this couch pillow, for my birthday, with a graphic of a tandem bike that said, "BETTER TOGETHER."  She knows us well.

What are you THANKFUL for today?  If you haven't, go back and read through yesterday's BEST YEAR YET blog, "BE THANKFUL," and join us on this "5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE."

TIM'S 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE:

• DAY 1
• I'm THANKFUL for my relationship with the Lord
• DAY 2
• I'm THANKFUL for US

BE THANKFUL

 

Thanksgiving is in 3 days.

I thought I would take the next few days and focus on the subject of THANKFULNESS.

Earlier this year, I did a "21 day Gratitude Challenge" with some co-workers where we thought about 3 things each day that we were GRATEFUL for.

BE THANKFUL.

What I would like to do, beginning today, and going through Friday, November 27th , is to think about 1...yes just 1 thing that you are THANKFUL for each day.

Be deliberate.

Be intentional.

Be thoughtful.

Is it...

• your family
• your job
• your church
• your health
• your friends
• your house
• your pet

Whatever it is, get creative. 

Write it down.

Share it with others.

If your THANKFULNESS is associated with a person or persons, do something tangible to express that to them.

• If it's work, bring in donuts or coffee or donuts and coffee this week
• It it's a family member, find something that you can do for them to express your THANKFULNESS (send a card; give them a call; wash their car; watch their kids; etc)
• If it's your health, do something for someone who's health is a struggle right now (you can always go to my ST. JUDE HEROES link and donate to St. Jude through my efforts as a St. Jude Hero running the 2020 St. Jude Memphis Virtual Half-Marathon)
• If it's your church, see where you can be a blessing and volunteer. Believe me, they need and want your assistance....just be open to help wherever

You know, you're going to see mine over the next 5 days, so why don't you share yours?

"5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE"

Who's in?

DAY 1 of my 5 DAY THANKFUL CHALLENGE:

I am THANKFUL for my relationship with the Lord.  

I made a decision over 34 years ago that I couldn't do life on my own.  Some said, "oh, that's just a crutch" to which I would agree and THANKFUL that He holds me up when I can't!  

I want my life to reflect Him to others.  At times, I don't do the best job, but He is faithful to forgive, dust me off, and set me back on the road!  Not perfect....just forgiven!