I have had a lot of people make comments to me lately about my positive attitude. At first I wondered, "What's wrong with that?" but then I realized that I was being complimented for maintaining an attitude that unfortunately is hard to find in the world today. I've had still others ask me how I can stay so positive with all that is occurring in my world. My response is....

I choose to live IN gratitude not just with gratitude. You see when you start living every day as if it will be your last day you learn to live IN gratitude. I find that I am more grateful for the child who keeps me up late or wakes me frequently during the night when I realize that I could be living a life without him. I am grateful for the disagreements with my husband because if we did not have them than we could not grow closer as a couple. I am grateful for the struggles that come with trying to get out of debt because they force me to stretch and grow.

I am grateful for so many things and people that if I stop long enough to list them all then I'd spend days -- perhaps even weeks or months -- on that list.

I am grateful for a mother who after her divorce chose to keep all 6 of her daughters instead of placing them in foster care as was suggested to her. Keeping us together and with her was more important to her than the possibilities of completing her education without us. That taught me the importance of family and that it is possible to get through all trials TOGETHER.

I am grateful for a mother who recognized the need to be with her parents in their last days and moved us 2000 miles to be with them. Money was so tight that she gave us each a suitcase and told us that we could take with us what would fit in the suitcase. This taught me that stuff is replaceable and people are not so we must always put people before things.

I am grateful for 8 children who create very busy days for me. Without them I'm not certain what I'd be doing with each day. My older ones have begun to move out on their own and I wonder if I will enjoy the quiet as much as I enjoy their joyful noise. This has taught me to enjoy every waking moment with each one of them.

I am grateful for the small farm we own and for the opportunity it's given me to learn more about farm life and animals. It has also given us just one more thing our family can do together as we raise chickens and cows (and a pig if my husband gets his way). We experience tremendous joy as we use the fresh milk for butter, yogurt and cheese. This has taught me that there is joy in self reliance.

I am grateful for a husband who supports me even when he doesn't completely understand why. He is my "load bearing wall" and without him my world would come crashing down around me. He reminds that there is already so much to be done and helps me to decide if what I WANT to do is something I should really be doing right now. Perhaps it can wait. This has taught me that I must make sure there is time for everyone, including me.

I am grateful for the people who invest in me and remind me that I am worth knowing. It's so easy in today's world to feel small and unimportant but we must all remember that we are worth knowing. This has taught me that we must share ourselves with others even though they might not understand how much of our worth we have shared with them. We have touched them anyway.

I am grateful for gratitude for it brings with it more to be grateful for. I have discovered that as I focus on my gratitude list my "needs" and "wants" lists become smaller because I realize those "needs" and "wants" are not really in line with my purpose. The more grateful I am the more in line I am with my purpose and the more clear I am about the path I must follow. I will continue to live IN gratitude and teach my children how to live IN gratitude so they will always know what's important in life.

What are you grateful for? How long is your list? I challenge you to live one day IN gratitude and then I dare you to return to your life as it used to be....