A Lens of Gratitude

One Thanksgiving, many, many years ago, my cousins and I thought it would be really cool to say things were thankful for at the end of the blessing, before we could all sit down and feast on the Thanksgiving yumminess that was hot and waiting. I'm sure I struggled to come up with something really profound and deep, such as family (hey, it's deep to a 10 year old...maybe), and same goes for my sister and our other girl cousin. However, when we got around to our youngest cousin, he quietly, sheepishly said, "video games." At the time, I bit my lip and tried so very hard to suppress my laughter. We have laughed a lot about that moment since, but now that I think about it, why shouldn't he have said "video games?" He got the point. He said thank you.

This past summer, I started reading One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp. It's amazing. Read it. I don't wanna give it all away because her writing just rips you to pieces yet pours hope and life into the soul all at the same time and you truly must experience it for yourself. However, she writes about this one word that God has been teaching me a lot about this year: eucharisteo. Basically, this word is an equation in which God gives grace, you give thanks, and joy abounds. Voskamp learned this as she journaled out a list of 1,000 things that she was grateful for. She learned the meaning of living and found the true source of joy, which is found in the midst of gratitude as God lavishes us with his wonderful gifts. As I read last night, I decided that with Thanksgiving right around the corner, why not use this November to make Thanksgiving 2011 a little different? Why not make my own gratitude journal of sorts and make a legitimate effort to say thank you each day up until the grand celebration on Thanksgiving? I want this month to be viewed through a lens of gratitude, no matter the circumstances. Some days will be easy. Some days will be hard. But no matter what, I want to thank God because he fills our lives with good things-- video games included.

Anyone out there want to join me?

"It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre. You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done."

-Psalm 92:1-4