Thanksgiving

Yesterday at church, my pastor discussed the ingratitude that plagues many in our society, and most certainly me. He discussed this problem in the context of Luke 17:11-19. In this story, Jesus heals nine lepers, but only one of the nine returns to thank Him. My pastor asked us if we are only truly grateful to God 10% of the time. How much do we each take for granted in our daily lives? In the spirit of last Thursday's Thanksgiving celebration, he challenged us to think of 24 things for which we are thankful. Here is my list:

1. Jesus. He paid my debt on the cross. Without His sacrifice I would have neither eternal salvation nor a relationship with God. Jesus cleansed me from my sin so that I could come before my Father blameless both now and for eternity. He is my only hope.
2. John. Each morning I wake up and marvel at God's goodness for giving me such a wonderful partner. We fit so well together in so many ways. He has been well worth all of the waiting I did during all my years of singleness.
3. My mom. She has truly been my best friend and closest confidante over the years. Her wisdom, prayers, and humor have dried many a tear and lifted my spirits when they have been at their lowest.
4. My dad. In spite of our differences and conflicts, I was blessed to know him for 24 years. Even since his passing, I continue to learn from him when I reflect on my relationship with him and his life.
5. My brother. For most of my life, I have enjoyed a close relationship with my brother, void of most ot the typical sibling rivalry problems. I am also grateful that he's found a wife who makes him happy even though our relationship has changed as a result.
6. My extened family. I have had the rare blessing of being able to know all four of my grandparents into my early 20's. I am also blessed to have married into a wonderful Christian family.
7. My friends. I remember after I graduated from college and moved back home that I asked God to send me Christian friends. He answered my prayer in a big way by sending me better friends than I could have imagined, friends with whom I can be silly or serious, and with whom I've made many great memories and look forward to many more memories to come.
8. My healthy and functioning body. In spite of my allergies and allergy-induced asthma, I am a healthy person whose amazing body can miraculously survive on a steady diet of chocolate and caffeine. I know I need to take better care of myself, but it is a wonder to me how well I function even when I'm not fueling myself the way I should.
9. My muscles. I may not fit the stereotypical standards of beauty in our culture, but I am strong and sturdy. For as much as I complain about the thickness of my legs, I am grateful that God created me with the heart-healthy pear shape. I am also thankful that I truly enjoy exercising and the feeling of strength I have afterwards.
10. My day job. While there is no doubt that my job is a big stressor, I am thankful to be gainfully employed. I am also thankful that God made my transition from graduate student to full-time counselor so easy by creating an opening for me at the school where I was an intern and therefore already comfortable with the system and the staff. As much as I complain about it, working with teenagers keeps boredom at bay and it's hard to beat the holidays in public education.
11. My coaching job. It may be a big time committment, but I love having the opportunity to be outside and to bond with some pretty amazing young teenage girls. In many ways, this part of my job is the most fulfilling.
12. My dog. Silly, maybe, but my dog really does bring me a lot of joy, and I'm thankful for her.
13. Disposable income. John and I are so blessed to have enough money left over from our paychecks to pay for fun things like expensive dinners out whenever the urge hits and the occasional fun vacation.
14. Our house. John and I are blessed with a roof over our heads in a safe neighborhood. We're also blessed to be moving within the next week to a bigger house in another great location.
15. Food in general. I love to eat, and I love that God has put me in a financial, cultural, and sensory position to enjoy an abundance and variety of wonderful food. I get very excited about a good meal.
16. Education. I am thankful for years of wonderful teachers and professors who gave me not only literacy but also a love of learning and a desire to always learn more.
17. Hot water. It may be simple, but I take hot showers every morning. I don't like to be cold, and I've been completely miserable the few times when I've been forced by plumbing or heatingproblems to a cold shower.
18. Family vacations. Even though the older I got, the more I dreaded the time away from my friends, our annual family vacations to upstate New York were always a time of peace and regrouping for me. Separated from air conditioning, television, and the phone, I learned to enjoy being outside on the water and to appreciate non-eletronic forms of entertainment.
19. Music. I myself am tone deaf and can't clap on rhythm to save my life, but I have a great apprecaition for the music others make that captures my emotions. I have an odd gift for memorizing song lyrics. I can remember being in elementary school art class singing to the other students at my table (probably much to their dismay, although no one ever said anything negative to me about it).
20. Freedom. Not enough can be said about how blessed we are to live in a country with freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to vote for our leaders....All of us take our freedom granted to some degree simply because we've never lived without it, but it is something to be cherished.
21. Change of seasons. I am thankful that I live in an area where the tempertature can fluctuate from under 20 degrees F to over 100 degrees F in the course of year. Over the course of a year, I am blessed to see snow fall, rain pour, leaves change colors, chipmunks and birds scurry about, to feel strong wind gusts and gentle breezes, to hear crickets, wood peckers, and owls go about their business, to be ticked by butterflies and stung by bees, to slip on ice and be drenched in humidity, to smell fresh flowers and decaying leaves.
22. Humor. The ability to laugh at life and to laugh with others about life is sometimes the only thing that gets me through the day.
23. My imagination. I've always had a wild imagination, and it's kept life interesting for me and those who know me. I used to entertain my father by telling him stories when he came to tuck me in at night instead of vice versa. I always wanted to be a creative writer, but my imagination remains too scattered and chaotic to harness and form into an organized document. I'm grateful for it nonetheless.
24. Prayer. Being able to communicate with God and cast all my cares onto Him, being able to lift up other people that God's will would be done in their lives, and being able to connect with people and with God as we lift each other up. Being able to feel God's peace and sense His direction. The hope that comes from knowing that even when I can't do anything about a situation, God can if I ask Him.

After writing this list, I can see why my pastor challenged us to do this. I have so much to be thankful for. God has been so good to me. I have no excuse for my perpetual pessimism.

Posted by Kim at November 27, 2006 07:53 AM