This is the second year that Jeff and I have taken time
every evening to write down what we are thankful for. Our journals of gratitude
document that for which we give thanks. We find we sleep better when we end
every day in gratitude. It is no small task, being grateful. But it is
necessary for life and it brings us peace.
So, true confession here.
On Saturday evening, following a wonderful day in the city with
soul-mates, we saw Christmas lights and advertisements for black Friday madness
in a small shopping center… and I felt angry. “In this culture, our greed carries us
straight from Halloween into black Friday, completely leaving out gratitude and
Thanksgiving. That’s just wrong,” I huffed to Jeff.
Later that evening, while watching a sporting event on TV,
we sat in great dismay as a commercial touting “Thanksgetting” ran across our
screen, seamlessly moving viewers (us included) from Thanksgiving tables to the
retail shopping (because getting more stuff is all the “holiday” weekend is
about, after all). UGH!
This year, as much as ever, we need our minds set on giving
thanks to our Father. The temptations to forsake thanksgiving are heavy upon
us. Instead of giving sway to feeling overwhelmed we recount that for which we
are thankful. In spite of all that is going wrong in the world near and far we
give thanks.
God’s word tells us to give thanks in all things, for it is
God’s will for us in Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:18) Believing God’s word
to be true, I ask God’s spirit to help me give thanks in all things.
When I am frustrated in traffic (a frequent temptation in
Uganda) I choose to thank God that I enjoy freedom to move about at will. I
thank God for his love for all the people surrounding me in crowded streets and
packed public transport vehicles.
I offer thanks to God for the privilege of loving and being
loved, even when my heart is sorrowing terribly in separation from ones I love.
The pain I feel when others are hurting gives evidence of love and I thank God
for love. I thank God that even when we geographically move a further distance
from ones we love we aren’t moving apart. I thank God he helps us stay close
across the miles.
I want to connect others to Jesus and I thank him for
opportunities engage in relationships with others so that connection can take
place. Even when the relationships become challenging, draining, busy,
frustrating and/or time-consuming I thank God for the blessing of being in
community with others so we can notice him among us.
Frequent entries in our journal include our gratitude for
God’s word, for family, for the many people praying for us, for beauty in
creation and for our marriage. We thank God for evidence of his faithfulness to
us, for his willingness to keep on loving us when we fall and when we fail. We
offer thanks in response to his transformative work in our lives and in those
with whom we share life.
We choose gratitude as it opens us to see the glory of God,
and then we proclaim his glory. We give thanks because it is the best right
choice. Gratitude opens our hearts to God. It positions us to notice his active
Presence. Thankfulness opens our spirits to God’s glory and powers our worship.
For this and so much more, we give thanks!
What would be frequent entries if you were keeping a journal
of gratitude? Maybe you will get some ideas while listening to this song by Josh Groban,
“Thankful.” (click here)
Christine
