Name change

Seeing as how I am usually the only one posting on this blog, and our family now includes more than just "Ben and Hailey" as the blog title suggests, I decided it was time for a name change.  And I decided to go with "gratefulness".  Aside from the obvious pun, I chose this title because gratefulness has been a theme in my (our) life for several years now.  I think the Lord really brought it up in our hearts in 2007 when we read a book about responsibility, simplicity, and stewardship in the Christian life.  Realizing how much we had to be grateful for (as in physical possessions, relationships, and other blessings in our lives), yet how much we deep-down continued feeling discontent, continually seeking out more and more, we started to understand that the more we stop and focus on thanking God for what He has blessed us with, the more contentment and joy we experience.  I really believe gratitude is one of those pivotal, often overlooked, things in the Christian faith.  I think it makes a huge part of the difference between a believer who looks and acts much like the world, and a believer whose life quietly captures the attention of the world around it, pointing them to the God who loves them so much.  Obviously, we have not mastered this.  But we are seeking it.  Valuing it.  Constantly trying to refocus on what's truly important, thanking God in all things, in good times and bad.  And we've definitely seen some really good times and some really bad ones these last few years! 

So this blog, though it won't always directly deal with 'how to be grateful in x situation", will be a place where I share the things we are learning, the things we value (like family, simplicity, intentionality, and stewardship), and the life we are so grateful for.  The life we are so blessed to have.  When it seems to be going well, and when it doesn't.