It is Thanksgiving, so of course it’s that time of year in which those of us who have forgotten to be thankful dedicate a whole month (well, at least three and a half weeks) and a turkey to be so.
We Insta, we tweet, we #thankful. And none is more guilty than I. But I refused to do the “30 days of Thankfulness.” I refused to do it because I was ashamed.
I was ashamed that I wasn’t already doing this thing called “365 days (or 366 depending on the Leap) of Thankfulness.” I was ashamed that it took a national fad to get to me to realize what I’m thankful for. I was ashamed that a secular world participates in this act of thankfulness during November which is an expression quota that I probably haven’t met with an entire year of blessings. I was ashamed that thankfulness, a simple “thank you,” was not on my lips every moment of every day. It would not be cliche to participate in #thankful or #thirtydaysofthankful, but instead it is hypocritical and grossly deficit in regards to the abounding blessings in my life.
I could spout hundreds of verses on being thankful. I could post a million pictures of a million beautiful and blessed things in this blog today but what I haven’t done, what a lot of us haven’t done, is to say “thank you,” in every moment, for every thing — all day, every day. This includes the cuddling with your kids (or your puppy) during a snow day. This includes the love of your life. This includes the beautiful sunset. This includes the great day at work, the new job, the safe travels, the beautiful friends, etc. It also includes that harsh conversation you had with your boss. It includes the oven going out. It includes the car accident, the surgery, the bills, the snow, you name it. In every moment, good and bad, thankfulness should be on our lips.
Paul says, “In everything, give thanks; for this is the will of God” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). The Man who laid down his life for us is also the God who created us, Who gave us breath, Who gives us great things, and Who also gives us hard-times that we might grow (for what is the beauty of a budding plant if not for the struggle it has to thrive? Yet it does: time after time!). I will be the first to say that life sucks sometimes, that this world has a way of smacking us around to the point of utter hopelessness. But in all of these things, we see the sunsets, we have moments with family and friends, and we continue to draw breath… And with every breath, should we not utter a simple, unadorned, un hashtagged, unprompted by fad “thank you.”
It is not my intention to condemn the actions of everyone who participated in the thirty days of thankfulness or have in someway tried harder than usual to express thankfulness this month. It is not my intention to cause derision but to admonish each of us in the Body of Christ to live according to His will. We have been blessed with much, and thank God for the opportunity to express our thankfulness in so many ways! But may we remember to continue to give thanks not just in November and Christmas, but every day. Every. Single. Day.
I wish you all a very, very happy Thanksgiving. May we remember the gesture of Pilgrims, and more importantly may we continue to give thanks every day.
MK
Mrs. Mac's Classroom 