Thankful for this body??
Be thankful for this body? Uh, no!
I was never truly thankful for my body.
Not when I played softball in highschool. (I had the biggest uniform)
Not when I gave hugs. (I thought everyone would be thinking about how far their arms had to go to get around me)
Not even when I gave birth. (I hated getting bigger - even for this great reason)
The closest I came to being thankful was a neutral or pleased feeling when I was hiking, working in the horsemanship program at Camp Hebron, or lifting weights.
My body is strong. But when there is good muscle combined with a layer of fat, the scale says: TOO BIG. And I was not thankful for that; I actually despised my body.
What I’ve come to see is that it is not the size of my body that matters, but rather what it can do.
It can play and have fun.
It can hike.
It can give hugs.
It can give birth to new people!
It can listen to, see, and love people.
It can enjoy good food, music, and art.
It can be used by God to bring His kingdom to earth.
That, my friends, is what our purpose is. We are not here to impress people or gain their approval. We are here to be ambassadors of our King. I’m very thankful that God uses you and me to accomplish His will.
So, in no particular order, here are 100 things I’m thankful for concerning my body:
It can/has green eyes, muscular, birthed Lindy, birthed Anna, birthed Alex, birthed Miriam, rides horses, appreciates color in nature, can run, can jump, can give long hugs, keeps me humble, can make food, climbed Mt. Sinai, gondola ride, make love, look into someone’s eyes, grind wheat, clean house, fold laundry, enjoy many flavors, heal when broken, speak encouragement, write cards, talk with friends, feel the sun’s warmth, stretch, walk in the woods, hear beautiful music, mow the grass, plant and grow things, provide a meal, make a care package, feel the breeze, tromp through snow, cuddle in a blanket, read a book, play softball, learn pickle ball, ride a gondola, heal a broken ankle, stroke a cat, romp with puppies, ride a bike, build snowmen, shovel snow, not on any medications, thick hair, water ski, canoe, kayak, try to paddle board, sing, enjoy innumerable campfires, teach, tutor, nap, create, imagine, become more godly, share, shake hands, laugh, rake leaves, go sledding, hold hands, hear my mom’s voice, speak truth, paint houses in WV, paint our walls, rearrange furniture, embroidery, swim, backpacking, feed the birds, scrapbook, give gifts, listen, rest, write, fall and get back up, learn new skills, sew, care for animals, cry, wrestle, tickle, giggle, smile, explore the world, cheer for my favorite raindrop as it slides down the window, do hard things, run 5K’s, celebrate, plan parties (so many parties!), row a boat, climb Peter’s Mt., kiss boo boo's, sit in mourning, swim in the Mediterranean Sea, love.
I challenge you to make your own list. What have you been able to do because of the body God has given you.
How did this change of heart and mind occur? Others were speaking out and I listened. Books were read and reread. A podcast was listened to.
As a result, LiveWell With SonyaKathryn exists. It is an 18 lesson self paced study using a workbook and corresponding videos. Head to my shop to get it for just $89 through December 31.
