I have never been able to figure out how one chooses just
one thing to be thankful for each day.
In addition, I get that people want to express their thanksgiving the
week or month of Thanksgiving on all the social networks for the world to
see. But I find myself wondering about
the rest of the year.
I think it is great to be thankful in November. Keep being thankful clear ‘til New Years is
over (when you haven’t kept up with the resolutions and you find that cake
still tastes good in February. I say be
thankful for cake too). My intent here
is not to downplay any of it, but to ask the question that plagues me: What
about the rest of the year? Are you
thankful then, too? Are you conscious of
the fact on June fifth what a blessing it is to wake up that day?
I went through a bit of a spiritual overhaul at some
point. I made a conscious decision to be
thankful and find the blessings in everyday life. Good day or bad, whether I was running late
or had a stomach issue, no matter if there was sunshine or rain, I will
recognize that I wasn’t promised to live that day and that no matter what, I
will be thankful. I would hope that in
talking to me, especially when you’re asking me about my family and friends,
you would see my eyes light up when I speak about them. I would hope that when you ask me about the
journey God has set me on, you would notice the sheer awe I have about God’s
decision to use me. I am well aware of
the fact that I am no one special and that there are others more qualified to
do what I do, and yet here I sit shaking my head, tears flowing, because He
chose me. Me? I am ill-equipped, I stumble over my words, I
am weepy and I fail to be somebody anyone would choose for work of great
importance. I have often wondered what
others see when they meet me. What I want others to see when they meet me, is
my thankfulness and love for God’s blessings in my life. What do I want for? I am blessed beyond measure. To choose just
one thing per day to be thankful for would be impossible. I could no sooner choose a star from the sky
or a book from my shelf. I don’t know if
I can even choose something to be unthankful for, although it may be
easier.
But even then, what would I choose? My gray hair?
I don’t think so; I earned every one of those silver sparklers! I do
have hair color, so who am I to complain?
Should I choose my stretch marks, which my loving children recommended I
buy cream to get rid of? I earned each
of those too, carrying three of the best blessings God ever granted to me. How about the extra pounds? Even those I enjoyed gaining. Sure, I could
do without them, and I am getting close to being annoyed enough to start
shedding them … but whose fault were they?
The bakers of the world or the Mexican food restaurant I enjoy so
much? Food is not necessarily something
to be unthankful for; it’s more something to take control of. Arguing with the kids? Nope. I argued with my mother until some of
her last days, and I miss it. Arguing is
better than indifference any day.
Disagreements can spark learning and understanding. Even for those, I am thankful.
So to answer those who may wonder why, even though I write,
yet I don’t participate in a “thankful a day” social media plan: yes, I am
thankful. Abundantly so. The amount of thankfulness in my heart is
overflowing. When you give each day to
God and ask him to bless it, how could your heart not be thankful?