I too, am Grateful!

22 Nov I too, am Grateful!

When I was little girl, I grew up in a Baptist church and on Sunday mornings I would often hear the old deacons pray this prayer from the moaning/morning/mourning bench.

“When I woke up early this morning, welllllllllll;

I was clothed in my right mind, wellllllllllll;

When I looked all around me, wellllllllllllll;

My family was doing fine, welllllllll

Dear Lorddddddddd… I just want to say Thannkkkk youuuuuuuuu.”

I had no idea what they were talking about. In fact, I was just trying to figure whose grandmother or mother had the good, big and soft peppermints that Sunday.

But as I “kept living”, I’ve learned.

I’ve learned that life is hard, but it also beautiful and precious and we have to be thankful for it all.

As I left therapy the other day, I started to prepare my heart for the holiday season. You see, I have to intentionally prepare myself for the holidays, because the holidays sometimes bring anxiety since the passing of my mother and honestly, as long as I can remember, I’ve sometimes struggled to seeing the good in things. Not that good things weren’t present, it’s just that I led with ‘what was wrong’ or ‘who wasn’t present’.

And when I say I’m intentionally preparing myself, I mean I’m preparing my heart for Thanksgiving, but, not in the historical sense. To me, Thanksgiving is another opportunity to give thanks (and gratitude) to our God, while in fellowship with our families and friends over plates of comfort food and in the comfort of our homes.

Woman of Judah, listen, we’ve all got a story to tell (and I do hope, you tell yours) and we’ve all been through “some stuff.”  The things we’ve been burdened with can make it hard to see the good. But, guess what? Life is good and there is light in this world.  So, much light! In fact, if you look back, you’ll see that you’ve arrived at some of the places, that you’ve only dreamt of.

That includes, me too! And this morning, because I understand, I too can say,

“When I woke up early this morning, welllllllllll;

I was clothed in my right mind, wellllllllllll;

When I looked all around me, wellllllllllllll;

My family was doing fine, welllllllll

Dear Lorddddddddd… I just want to say Thannkkkk youuuuuuuuu.”

Please join me this holiday season by intentionally preparing your heart for Thanksgiving. For the next six days, let’s show our gratitude for the people and things we’re thankful for. Call or text your people, and tell them, “I love you!” and “I see you!” Give, share with or serve someone this holiday season.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalm 100:4