grated root vegetable salad with a side of gratefulness

Hello again! 

I'd like to start my blog post this week by saying thank you to all of you who are reading my blog and sending me lovely messages in response to the things I write. I'm truly thankful that you take the time to read my musings. Although I am not writing these posts so that I can be a world famous writer, I do feel appreciative that others are finding what I have to say worth reading. And this leads me to my latest thoughts, which for awhile now have been gravitating towards gratefulness. Hmm... Insert a pause here for dramatic effect!

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word grateful as "appreciative of benefits received". The word gratefulness is a noun, and a noun, if I remember correctly from my primary school days, is a naming word. So, in this sense, the word gratefulness is a name for the state of being appreciative, or thankful. I don't know about you, but sometimes, I find it hard to remember to be grateful. Thanks to my parents, I have learnt good manners, and I always say "please" and "thank you" at the appropriate moments. But being conscious of "benefits received" does not necessarily mean that I am appreciative on a heart level.

My mum takes a positive step in the direction of maintaining gratefulness in her heart. Every day at 3pm the alarm on her phone goes off with a reminder that simply says "be thankful". No matter what is happening that day, she is reminded to be thankful for what she has in that moment. Sometimes the moments suck. Often the moments are the day-to-day routine of our lives. But more frequently, it's the moments that change you. For me, it's the moment I open the fridge for a meal and I am struck by how incredibly blessed I am to not only have food in there, but to be able to eat in a way that nourishes my body and improves my quality of life. Grateful. It's the moment I find common ground with someone and realise this person will be my friend. Grateful. It's the moment my sister walks down the aisle to marry the man who loves her more than I do. Grateful. It's in the moments that I am choosing to be grateful. 

What will it take for us to see the benefits we have received? In the Bible it says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change" (James 1:17). I believe that everything good in my life is from God. God is a good Father, and His character is unchanging, which means that He can't give me something that isn't good! Just like a good dad, He gives me everything I need. What then is my excuse to not live in a state of being appreciative? Gratefulness is powerful when I make the choice to practice it. Not only does it change me, it helps me to turn my attention to others who may not receive the benefits in life that I do.

I encourage you to take the time today to open your eyes to the things that you have to be thankful for and to remember to practice gratefulness every day in every moment. 

grated root vegetable salad

This salad is both easy to prepare and easy on your digestive system; a fresh and filling meal!

1 cup carrot, grated

1 cup beetroot, grated

1 cup daikon, grated*

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/3 cup sultanas or currants

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

Handful fresh mint, shredded

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

Sea salt to taste

Place all ingredients in a bowl, toss and serve. 

*A daikon is a white East Asian radish and is a natural diuretic that also cuts through fats.