Thanksgiving: For What Are You Thankful?

Some say there are three kinds of wealth, others say seven. But regardless of how we define wealth, we know much of it comes from our non-material blessings. We have so much for which to be thankful, don’t we? To remind us that our blessings exceed those of millionaires’, we need the life-changing spiritual discipline of chronicling gifts. 

For what are you thankful beyond family and friends? Your health? Great blessings! But beyond these… Here’s part of my own list.

I’m thankful for God. Where would we be without the Eternal Presence walking with us through ups and downs? How can an infinitely holy God deal justly with sin while also showing infinite love? I’m grateful that an infinitely creative God made a way.

I’m thankful for my larger family of faith that has loved me for decade upon decade and for the local one that takes me to the throne of grace every week through word and song.

I’m thankful for the cloud of witnesses and patriots who laid down their lives that I could enjoy both spiritual and civil freedom.

I’m thankful for clean water than runs from an endless supply into six different sinks in my home.

I’m thankful for a full pantry, for the bounty of a full refrigerator, for the fact that we have so much abundance that the word ” leftovers” is commonly used in our language. I’m thankful that I live in a place with such abundance that we have to count calories and seek out “low fat” versions of food.

I’m thankful for lemonade and raspberries; for burgers on the grill and peach pie; for pumpkin spice; for Christmas ham and chocolate cake; and mocha year-round.

I’m thankful for good books and libraries where I can check them out for free.

I’m thankful for meaningful work and great administrators, colleagues, and students who make my job a joy.

I’m thankful for what I’ve learned through unanswered prayer and heartbreak.

I’m thankful for the faith of my sister and her kids as they have lived three years without their husband and father.

I’m thankful for my parents’ faithfulness to each other for more than sixty years.

I’m thankful for my city, my county, my country and those who work to make it a safer, more just place.

I’m thankful for education—that I can read and write and think about grand ideas.

I’m thankful for the women who paved the way before me.

I’m thankful for the beauty of the earth—sunset over the Grand Tetons, the vast quiet of Wadi Rum, the beach in Australia, the fall leaves in Virginia, the Oregon Coast.

I’m thankful for the great variety of peoples and viewpoints on this great blue dot, from India to Israel to Indiana.

I know you’re thankful too. And I hope that in this season, whether or not you live in America, you will make time to reflect on at least fifteen things for which you’re thankful.  And I hope you’ll share some of them with us.  What one thing would you add to my list?