It is amazing how quickly we learn to take things for granted, especially if the minutiae of our everyday life has been at status quo for a while. What seemed like a sometimes boring but stable life can suddenly be ripped away from us in a matter of seconds…leaving us feeling bereft and longing for what we had before. In retrospect, somehow, things were not all that bad. How we see our lives playing out depends not only upon the lens in our camera, but also the measuring stick that we are wielding. Human beings tend to compare their circumstances to others in the same or similar social group they may belong to. If we come up lacking in some area, we may start to feel “less than” and even begin to envy the other person for who they are or for what they have. Oftentimes, we are way off the mark, as I have discovered that everyone on the planet is often going through suffering of some kind; there is always some poor soul worse off than ourself. It is never a good idea to compare our lives to that of others, as each one of us is uniquely fashioned by God, and we all have our own road to travel.
Unfortunately, it has been rather easy to feel sorry for myself lately. My husband and I have been going through a very tough spring and summer with his health, while everyone around us seems to be flourishing. Most, if not all of our friends and family have been travelling throughout the summer, while we have spent long, exhausting days and nights in the hospital. Paul, especially, has been through the fiery furnace, having twice been very sick and hospitalized for pneumonia. It was a very traumatizing and frightening experience, to say the least, but he has once again opened the door of the furnace and come out on the other side. Thankfully, he is back at home recuperating, and things are starting to settle into a “new normal”. I believe that God ultimately took control of things, and Paul was healed.
A few days after Paul returned home from his second hospitalization, I took advantage of the beautiful late-summer weather we have been experiencing here in southern Ontario. I made myself a cup of tea and went out to sit on our patio that overlooks Lake Ontario. As I pushed back the bright red geranium perched on the small table beside our wicker chair, I accidentally knocked over one of the ceramic coasters lying beside it. As luck would have it, it did not break, but the words written across it certainly captured my attention: “Start each day with a GRATEFUL heart”. I realized at once that God was giving me a little nudge, helping me remember that all good and wonderful things come from above…I needed to count my many blessings instead of grumbling and complaining about the little (and sometimes big) annoyances of life! My husband and I have so very much to be thankful for, and I had to be reminded of that.
Most of us who are blessed enough to abide in North America can still rest assured that we live in a free country; we likely have a decent roof over our heads with full tables of food to eat and clothing to wear…our needs are more than adequately met. Moreover, if we have a job, retirement funds and family and friends who care about us, we are doubly blessed! Continuing good health is not guaranteed, but we do have a health care system that supports us. Both Canada and the United States were founded on Christianity, and although we have strayed away from the tenets of our faith, we still live in the age of grace. God is anxious that none of His children should perish, so He still tarries, waiting for us to answer His call of belief and faith.
In the old testament book of Psalm 107:1, King David tells us: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, the apostle Paul instructs us to: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” And finally, in Philippians 4:4-7, Paul exhorts us: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
As we celebrate traditional (or nontraditional) Thanksgiving this year, let’s do so with genuine thankfulness in our minds and hearts. The remaining three coasters in my set say: “A little thing called LOVE”, “Think HAPPY, be happy”, and finally, “Everything is going to be OK”. While all four statements are wonderful, positive affirmations, it all starts with a heart full of gratitude, which is a great way to begin each and every day!
