I wanted to do something a little different for Thanksgiving this year. I asked a blogging group to share their favorite posts on the subject.
From the very first post that was shared, I knew it was going to be amazing journey of thankfulness, conviction, and heart change.
Exactly what I needed in the frantic cook-and-clean marathon leading up to Thanksgiving Day.
The very first link that was shared was from Heather at My Overflowing Cup. At the very top of her post is this big bold statement:
Counting our blessings changes our outlook on life!
With that, I breathed a prayer. “Lord, I really NEED a changed outlook today. I’m weary and ungrateful.” Let me just tell you. God delivered.
Melissa at Plaidfuzz has this amazing set of graphics that reminded me just how blessed and rich I am. As she observes, “the fact that I even own a car puts me in the top 20% of the wealthiest people in the world.”
And the very next post… the one from Colleen at Blessed are the Feet celebrates a well worn pair of old lady shoes. In a tiny village in Costa Rica, far from home, she exclaims the thanksgiving word, the word that says it all at once, speaks of what it really means to give thanks, to be thankful, to live full.
Oh my heart.
I’ve struggled today to find a single thing to be thankful for. I’ve rolled my eyes at driving my husband’s huge (and very loud) truck. I’ve complained that I only own one pair of boots. I’ve whined to God that it’s ridiculous to be thankful for peanut butter.
Sandra of Sandra’s Ark shared a story that reminded me how God lavishes his love on us, sometimes in unexpected ways. How can you not be thankful when God arranges for butterflies everywhere you live?
And yet… God arranged for the big (very loud) truck. God arranged for the boots. He even arranged to bless me with children that just happen to smear peanut butter on the sofa. If I’m not thankful for those, then would I really be thankful for butterflies?
Conviction is an inconvenient thing.
Alesha from Alesha Blessed shared a post that fit in perfectly. She reminded me
“A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.”
John 3:27Not even one thing.
Not the hair on my head
Not the breath in my lungs
Not the food in my fridge
Not the afternoon sunshine pouring through our giant living room window.
Not even one thing…And if that doesn’t make me thankful, then I wonder what will.
I was reminded of my own musings earlier this week. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says “Rejoice always. Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything.”
In my ingratitude, I’m a long way from Thanksgiving.
In reading, I lingered on the word “give.”
It’s not “feel thanks.”
It’s not “have thanks.”
It’s not “get thanks.”
Those seem ridiculous. The idea is to GIVE thanks. We are to give the gift of gratitude.
The Bloggers featured in my Journey to Thanksgiving are:
DAY 1
Heather at My Overflowing Cup.
Melissa at Plaidfuzz
Colleen at Blessed are the Feet
Sandra of Sandra’s Ark
Alesha from Alesha Blessed
DAY 2
Jenny from Her View from Home
Asheritah from One Thing Alone
Diana at Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Susan at Fruitful Words
DAY 3
Susan at Hope Heart Home
Barbara from Worth Doing Poorly
Urailak at Living for God
Ashely at Purposeful Mom
Gail at Gail – Friends
Latest posts by Susan Baker (see all)
- Rest – part 1 - October 15, 2018
- The least bad thing - October 10, 2018
- How M&M’s teach self-control - December 16, 2014
- Three Steps to a Simpler Saner Christmas - December 15, 2014
- The LORD has done great things - December 14, 2014
Beautiful! So cool how you were able to weave these thoughts together. I realized that I had a post that I could have shared with you too about thanksgiving. 🙁 Looking forward to reading the other posts!
Susan, thanks for bringing all these posts together so that we can encourage one another on to good works – in this case, thankfulness. I am thankful for you!
I’ll be writing on thanksgiving in this week leading up to, well, Thanksgiving. 🙂 It’s definitely helping me focus my mind AND my heart for this season. I’ve also been counting 1000 gifts this month…talk about opening your eyes to the blessings around!
Lovely post, and I like the focus on giving gratitude. I need to do that more!
1 Thess 5.18 was our pastor’s scripture text this morning. I have learned there is always something to be grateful for. It’s a journey though!!!
Sometimes it’s a struggle to find something worth being grateful for, but yes… there really is always something.