Friday, November 30, 2012

{day thirty} for the gratitude givers and the naysayers...

For the past two days, I've seen several status updates on our favorite social media site from people, dare I say 'friends', who are glad the thirty days of thanksgiving posts are over.  Most were poking fun of those who took the opportunity to give thanks for even the smallest of blessings. 

My heart hurt at the sarcasm.  And caused me to wonder, do these naysayers have a thankful heart?  Truly an attitude of gratitude?

Sure, most are thankful for their family and friends and jobs and the like.  You know, the big stuff.

But do most find blessings in the small things?

I mean, do the naysayers stop to think about the blessing of music? Or the comfort of living in a heated home with a roof and a bed and electricity?  Or the luxury of having hot water?  Or the ability to purchase groceries?  Or the over-abundance of stuff?   

When I position my heart in gratitude, the more I seek the blessing in the smallest of small.  The more I overwhelmingly realize how spoiled I am.  Truly and undeservingly spoiled rotten, I am. 

All this stuff.  These blessings I have long taken for granted. They can leave us feeling entitled.  Deserving.  Wanting.  Needing. Searching. Financing. Bartering. Begging.  For more. And more more more. 

It is unrelenting. 

The world dictates to us {especially this time of year} what we need.  What we absolutely have to have. What latest and greatest will finally make us happy.

But have you stopped to imagine what would happen if everyone, naysayers included, stopped, even for just the briefest of brief moments, and truly understood that it was all grace?

It is all grace.  Every bit of it.

Grace.

Poured out from Heaven.  Given freely to the undeserving.

When we pause long enough to search out the blessing and allow the grace of it all to wash over us anew, we make more room for Jesus to enter our greedy hearts.

I choose, purposely and purposefully, to seek the blessing.  To find the treasure.  To uncover the beauty.  In it all.  Every last bit of every last moment of this life. 

The pile of laundry.  The cold, dreary rain.  The warm, inviting sunshine.  The unexpected moments of laughter.  The flood of tears.  The emptyiness of watching a friend move away.  The mishaps and mistakes turned to memories.  The sought-after silence.  The unrelenting noise.  The detours and journeys.  The unlikely.  The likely.  The imperfections and hissy fits.  The choices, both right and wrong. 

It is all grace. 

'A life contemplating the blessings of Christ
becomes a life acting the love of Christ.'
Ann Voskamp

To live a full life, one must learn {and choose} to position his heart with thanksgiving. 

Jesus gave us the example.    Moments before He drew His last breath, He broke bread and gave thanks.


'While they were eating, Jesus took some bread
and thanked God for it.
He broke off some pieces, gave them to his followers and said,
“Take this bread and eat it. It is my body.”
Then he took a cup of wine, thanked God for it,
and gave it to them.
He said, “Each one of you drink some of it.
This wine is my blood, which will be poured out
to forgive the sins of many and
begin the new agreement from God to his people.
I want you to know, I will not drink this wine again until that day
 when we are together in my Father’s kingdom
 and the wine is new.
Then I will drink it again with you.”
Matthew 26:26-29



Moments before He offered up His life as a sacrifice--for you and for me--He offered thanksgiving. 

I believe we are called to do the same. 

There is power in gratitude.  In a person who seeks the blessing and receives the grace. In a heart that pours out thanksgiving. 

Today, I am grateful for both the naysayers and those who spent the past month pouring out thanksgiving from their humble hearts. 

Might I dare you all to continue to seek the blessings in your life.  And when you find them, and find them you will, might you dare to offer up sincere thanksgiving to the Giver of all good gifts. 

The journey of gratitude doesn't end on the thirtieth of November.  It is journey that began long, long ago and ends the day we are face to face with Jesus. 

Until then, let's live in a moment of gratitude.  Confident of the promised day we will enter His gates with thanksgiving and He will know that we spent our moments giving grateful praise.

Journey on, precious ones.  Journey on.  I'm forever grateful for you.

What will you be most grateful for tomorrow?  I'd love to offer up praise with you.


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