Provision, Self awareness & friendship

It’s a Fridaaayyyyy or Friyaaayyyy depending on your mood. Mine is the latter because I’m overflowing with an extra dose of happiness. Fridays have a way of exciting and tickling my heart. Even during the strict lockdown days where everyday seemed like it was the same including weekends, Fridays strangely remained special for me. Please note, some of these were spent doing absolutely nothing but that didn’t sway me from the fact that Friday has a special place in my heart.

A close friend and I usually spend Friday in thanksgiving mode where we focus on all the things we are thankful for about the week. But quite frankly, majority of the people in my circles are wired in G.R.A.T.I.T.U.D.E -is-a-must mode. Even on the days when we are seemingly in at rock bottom or in the darkest cave, some how gratitude is our silver lining. And this doesn’t mean you are in denial of your current circumstances but rather you are choosing to focus on the good in the bad. It’s all about focus and perspective. What you choose to dwell on is what you’ll magnify and that shapes how you view what’s happening. Usually when I’m hanging by a thread, it’s gratitude that I’m holding on to and reminding myself that it could have been worse and maybe I wouldn’t have this rope altogether but at least, I have the tiny thread from it that am hanging on to. This gets me through many dark seasons and fuels me to keep going.

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So for today’s cup of gratitude, we are sipping on all those things we are thankful for. In case you missed the details of my recently introduced new sections on the blog, you can catch up here and maybe you’ll relate with where I’m coming from with today’s post. Before I get in to the nitty gritty’s, allow me share one of my many favorite verses on thanksgiving. This one is low key the chief mantra that keeps resounding that gratitude bell in my ears every time I slowly start losing my focus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 [AMPC]

Thank God in everything no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks, for this is the Will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the revealer and Mediator of that Will]

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I am grateful for provision which is something I don’t take lightly. This pandemic has slowed down so many things including the flow of income but somehow, I haven’t been in lack and I thank God for that. Each passing day I have been surpassingly provided for and it leaves me in awe. It has also opened my eyes to appreciate the little things I’d become entitled to and as such taken for granted. Who knew that it can take an entire pandemic to remind me of the things that matter most in life and are not worth underrating like life? Having to breathe oxygen for free because you are alive and healthy in your body, my oh my, each morning I wake up with my lungs functioning well, has left me giving thanks.

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I’m thankful for time spent in solitude. This is something I wouldn’t usually jubilate about because I thrive better around people [extrovert alert]. So with the lockdown measures, I’ve found myself having to spend countless days at home in my own company. This has helped me become more self aware in ways I didn’t know I needed. It has also allowed me explore different facets of who I am and get to work on those areas I tend to keep tucked far away or cringe from when they are brought to the surface. I’m still a work in progress but definitely an evolving version of my very best self. You know with all the busyness of life and it’s routines, it’s so easy to stay hidden in masks of work, responsibilities, people and all these things we occupy ourselves with. As such, it can be so easy to lose sight of who you are or not even have the time to self evaluate. Another valuable thing I’ve been learning is the fact that self care is paramount. You can’t pour from an empty cup and you can’t give what you don’t have. So you must take time away for yourself to replenish. I’m so thankful for this because I get to show up in the spaces I’m needed, pouring from a full cup and not a depleted one.

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I’m grateful for the people God has placed on my journey that I get to do life with. I’m a firm believer of the fact that human beings are relational beings and no one can thrive on their own. We are better together. In this regard, I’m particularly thankful for the fact that my bonds have deepened. Let me explain how. You know the common phrase of quality over quantity, with the lockdown restricting how much or how often we meet to catch-up, I’ve realized that the seemingly few hours and time we spend with each other has evolved. At least in my circles I know it has. As a result my relationships have grown because of the intentionality that has been birthed in this season. I feel like our perspectives have changed, conversations deepened and bonds strengthened. Having this area of my life thriving has had me giving thanks. Fun fact, it has also helped me declutter for lack of a better word and as such having meaningful connections and I’m elated.

Lastly, I’m grateful that I got to gather strength to rewrite this post. My initial draft got erased in the strangest way and my heart shattered for a few minutes. But maybe that gave me the opportunity to write a better version of it, who knows? Besides, there’s no point in crying over spilt milk haha [see what I did there]. I’m also thankful that I’m writing again after a much needed hibernation period that I believe gave me better direction or vision for my Everything Written family and bwoy am I glad. I feel like an ounce of purpose was dropped in my writing basket and that warms my heart deeply. I’m also excited to see how this journey unfolds and the growth it will yield. I finally feel like I have some sort of niche even if it’s in four dimensions tihihi. You know how people say they are multi- skilled, I like to believe that I’m multi-niched when it comes to writing bwahahaha [I just hyped myself lol]. But if such a thing exists, then this blog is it’s description.

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Thank you for always reading, it makes me contented. You are definitely on my daily gratitude list because I feel like you believe in me and that makes this Everything Written little Kingdom keep growing. And maybe some day we’ll morph in to an empire, who knows? Meanwhile, I’m curious, what are you grateful for? Do tell in the comment section and let’s get this celebration party going. I’m a firm believer that gratitude shared is a free recipe for an overflowing cup [random thought in my head] but I guess it holds some water. Otherwise enjoy your Friyay, life is worth celebrating; blessing after blessing after blessing [this is my version of party after party after party]. Let me take the rest of my energy and channel it into a happy dance. Also, random extra detail, July is my birth month and for the first time in history, I’m extraordinarily excited about it. Yaaaayyy me!

©️Everything Written