Gratitude...

I’ve never been a huge fan of Thanksgiving… I’m not sure why, and yes, I realize that makes me sound like a bad person, BUT… it’s not that I don’t like Thanksgiving… it’s just that I try to be thankful every day, not just once a year. Of course I am thankful for all the “usual” blessings of family and friends, health and home… but I hope that we remember and teach our children to thank God every day for all things, not just once a year for the good things.

So this Thanksgiving, I decided to think of those things that I tend to be least thankful for and take time to thank God especially for these less-than-exciting things…

For traffic when I’m running late, long lines, and the check-writers who make them even longer … Thank you God for teaching me to be patient.

For poop, poop, and more poop… Thank you God for healthy tummies!

For watching people we love slowly slip away… Thank you God for memories… may the good ones far outweigh the bad.

For stubborn four-year-old sassiness… Thank you God for the strong spirit of a child… may she never lose her feistiness!

For noises in the night that make me nervous… Thank you God that these remind me to cling to you when I am scared… and thank you that You never sleep!

For 45 minutes of non-stop screaming in the car… Thank you God for every breath this child takes.

For medical bills… Thank you God for those who care for us… Thank you for sharing your power to heal and knowledge to help.

For the never-ending mountain of laundry… Thank you God for washing machines and dryers! And for clothes, towels, sheets, and diapers too.

For freckles, break-outs, blonde eyelashes, and bad hair days… Thank you God that you make us all different and that your measure of beauty is not like the world’s.

For Wal-Mart… Thank you God that we can go just down the street to get what we need… and for people who make me feel “normal”.



You’ve probably heard the old cliché that “it’s the simple things in life that make living so grand”… but it’s not just the simple good stuff that we are supposed to be thankful for… the simple nuisances, frustrations, and sadness are great causes for gratitude too. Maybe I do like Thanksgiving after all.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18


“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” ~Psalm 34:1


“[give] thanks always and for everything to God the Father…” ~Ephesians 5:20