"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
- 1 Thess 5:18
It's been a great year for some, and a difficult year for others. Today is a great day to do a little soul searching before the family comes over and the festivities get rolling. Finding thanks in the good isn't too difficult, but finding thanks and gratefulness in the midst of the bad and the ugly can be a bit more challenging. I heard this song at church last night, and it allowed me to do a bit more of a deep dive into finding thanks in the midst of difficulty that's been present in my life for the past couple of years.
I'm thankful for the breath in my lungs.
I'm thankful for my friends and my family.
I'm thankful for unexpected moments of depth and quality time that surprise me in the midst of small talk.
I'm thankful for a season of life where I'm growing closer in relationship with my in-laws.
I'm thankful for the challenges that come with a new job -things WILL get better with each passing day.
I'm thankful for angry, bitter, mean, and difficult people that I can count on daily to "spice up" my workday -as it gives me somebody to hope for and somebody to love (whether they want it or not)!!!
I'm thankful for how much vulnerability hurts -because when it doesn't pan out the way that I want it to, it reminds me that the risk was still worth taking (when it pans out the way I like it to, the feelings of connection that come with it transcend happiness).
I'm thankful for music. It makes me laugh, it makes me cry, and it makes me feel alive.
I'm thankful for what God is doing in my life and the lives around me -especially when it confuses me, makes me hurt, and I don't understand it -because that draws me closer to Him... and in my 30 years, there's still no place, no feeling, and no peace that I've experienced that transcends the loving embrace of a God who is in control.
Take a moment today and reflect on what you're thankful for -and then tomorrow do the same... and the day after that... and the day after that... and ... you get the idea! ;-)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Mucho, macho, muchacho love,
-T.