I remember the first time I walked into
the crowded halls of my college and heard the chatter of
conversations of the occupants, I knew I was thankful. When I
overheard a conversation coming from some college boys talking about
their latest views on the internet, I knew I thankful. When I heard
girls talk about their latest excitement at their latest party or
their latest binge, I was thankful.
I binge on Jesus, He takes away my pain
and lasts forever.
I am thankful I have found something
different. I don't have to look for the latest avenue to feed my
voids or wants or desires. I've found it.
When I overheard these conversations, I
was suddenly made aware of how seriously thankful I was.
I mean...
I've always been taught that
thanksgiving is a tremendous part of receiving—thanksgiving shows
graciousness, and gratefulness. But it never truly occurred to me,
how grateful I was.
Until, I heard these words, words of
people so lost that I couldn't help but think, “Jesus, where would
I be if You hadn't saved me?”
I would be somewhere, I'm convinced
either dead or near dead.
Thanksgiving is a beautiful thing; it
reminds us that everything we have, we've been given as a gift. It
reminds us that we don't achieve anything by ourselves.
When I reached for my Bible, on its
special place where it had rested for far too long, I fingered the
wispy, silver rimmed edges, suddenly thankful that I possessed such a
book and knew of the Promise the contents held.
We can be thankful for so much and not
ever utter a word of our thanks. I'm thankful for many things, some
great some small.
I'm thankful for those hard,
unexplained times. I'm thankful for those moments of severe anger,
because it gives me a chance to allow grace to cascade gently into
the situation.
I'm thankful for moments when my future
engulfs me in anxiety, because I can fall backwards in the arms that
catch me every time.
No, I didn't have a sudden lapse of
time and think it was Thanksgiving.
Our Thanksgiving tradition is to circle around the table during dinner and mention what we're grateful for. But I don't want that to be the only time that I think on what I'm grateful for. Each day possess multiple events and occasions where I should be grateful.
I decided to write down, each day, something that I'm thankful for. My list isn't perfect, and sometimes I forget. If you've never heard of the 1000 Gifts Challenge, I suggest that you look into it, and participate in a daily challenge that will change you're view of thanksgiving.
Our Thanksgiving tradition is to circle around the table during dinner and mention what we're grateful for. But I don't want that to be the only time that I think on what I'm grateful for. Each day possess multiple events and occasions where I should be grateful.
I decided to write down, each day, something that I'm thankful for. My list isn't perfect, and sometimes I forget. If you've never heard of the 1000 Gifts Challenge, I suggest that you look into it, and participate in a daily challenge that will change you're view of thanksgiving.
So often, we forget to thank Him for
those blessings we do not speak of . . .
those blessings in disguise
Those blessings can be shaped like death and sorrow and despair but are truly wrapped by God's grace and His wonderful plan
I'm thankful that my plans don't work
out and His do. . .
I'm thankful that God loves me regardless . . .
I'm thankful He still loves me . . .
and chooses to call me His Child. . . and. . . yet
I still forget to be thankful in the
inkling of a second---in that moment when something doesn't go my way
When I'm washed over with that feeling
of discontentment and bitterness—I forget so much—I forget to be
thankful . . .
So . . .I'm making 1000 Gifts a lifestyle.
No matter what, to be thankful, for big
and little, great and small, sad and happy, joyful and turbulent--because I need to make everyday Thanksgiving.
