Grow where you are planted

I have seen this quote many times before on plaques, blogs, cards and more... I have always loved it and been especially challenged by it in the last year and a half to really grow where I am planted.  I think that growing has a very conscious element to it.  We have the ability to choose to enjoy the here and now, to grow in relationships, delight in our circumstances and grow in our faith... or the counter of these, to be a hermit, to wallow in pitty and to be complacent in our relationship with God.

I am choosing to grow!  Specifically, I am choosing to make a very conscious choice to find true delight in where God has us.  There are times that I still really miss Utah.  But to be honest, we do have a great life here! I am choosing to look for things to be thankful for (not that I wasn't thankful before), but to be conscious of, acknowledging the specifics and to count it all as gifts!  I have been really challenged by a new book that I am reading "One Thousand Gifts" so, so, so worth a read! Especially if you are struggling with doubts, complacency and bitterness.  {more on this book in a later post}

Parts of life still very much feel up in the air, I want roots, I want to feel settled... yet God, has us in this place with some uncertainty.  Though part of life is not exactly figured out, I want to grow, right where I am at, in this very moment and within these exact circumstances.  I want to be thankful for life, all of it... the figured out parts and the not yet clear parts!

How about you...
Are you growing?  Are there specific things that you can see are hindering your growth... your attitude, habits, expectations or past?  Do you have relationships you can dig into that encourage growth in you? Have you smiled today?  Have you seen thankfulness transform you, grow you, mature you?  What are you thankful for today??