Being Thankful

Alright, a little later than I wanted to get this one out today, but better late than never!


You've heard it a thousand times, and you'll hear it a thousand more, but that doesn't diminish the focus of today's reflection, and that is being thankful for what we have.


It's really easy to take everything we have for granted, especially when we get focused on our daily routine and those constant sources of frustration. At least it is for me. The running theme so far has really been me trying to consciously prioritize God as THEE focal point in my day. I mentioned it in a previous post, about squeezing the rest of your day around God, instead of trying to squeeze God into the remaining time in your busy day. Perhaps the easiest way to accomplish that, is to acknowledge God's presence in each aspect of your day, and consciously take stock of the blessings he bestowed upon us.


So my mission today is to point out the things I'm grateful for, that I often take for granted, but are 5 things that people in many parts of the world, and even this country, go without.


1.) Today I woke up, my wife woke up, and my 2 year old son woke up, and all three of us were healthy and able to move about on our own power.


2.) I went outside my aesthetically outdated yet sturdy, comfortable ranch home and surveyed my gorgeous 12.5 acre property of Upper Midwest woodlands and let my two fantastic dogs out to run.


3.) I managed to get the kiddo to daycare and make the 35 mile trek to work without issue. My wife also made it to work safely.


4.) We both have jobs that often leave us frustrated, physically, emotionally, and mentally drained, and yet we both make a pretty decent salary, and are able to make enough to support our little family and pay the bills.


5.) After a day at the office, we all made it back home safely, and sat down and enjoyed our third meal of the day.


This may seem like boasting but it isn't, it's simply taking a brief 5 minutes out of the day to acknowledge the fantastic gifts that Jesus has blessed me with, and be truly grateful.


Honestly, despite all of these wonderful gifts, there are days when someone asks me how my day is going, where without investing too much thought into it, I just say "terrible," or "typical Monday." We all feel that way at times, but it's all about perspective. There are people out there homeless, there are people out there hungry. There are people out there that over the course of the day lost loved ones to traffic deaths, heart attacks, or acts of violence. There are people out there that lost their homes to natural disaster. They are the ones that are truly having a terrible day. Me, I just was maybe 5 minutes late to work or got screamed at on the phone about something that wasn't my problem. In the grand scope of things, while they may be frustrating, they are certainly nothing worth souring the quality of another day on this earth.


That's not to discount the everyday struggles we all go through, or lessen the impact that the stress of a job may bring, but it's important to be able to pull yourself out of that negative spin, to take a step back, put it into perspective, and release just how blessed we truly are. I'm as guilty as anyone of easily succumbing to a negative attitude when minor things don't go my way.


So thank you God, thank you Jesus, for another day on this earth, with a healthy loving family. I may not always be the most appreciative, or consciously grateful of the blessings you've bestowed upon me, and for that I am unworthy of your grace, merciful God. Thank you for all that I have, and for the love you've given me and my loved ones. Please guide me in sharing that love, and spreading your joy in this world.


Amen.