Heartprints of God: November 2013

Thursday, November 28, 2013

My Very Life~

Monday, November 25, 2013

The Dos and Don'ts of Thanksgiving~

So many times,
when we slip into November,
and begin our descent (or ascent!) to our Thanksgiving table,
the often neglected joy of counting our blessings,
is pulled out of the closet,
dusted off,
and put into practice, once again.

We list each day, and with it,
something we are thankful for.
We spell out the ABC's, and next to each one,
a corresponding blessing.

Like turkey, that is eaten only one time a year,
we stop for a moment and do what we normally don't -
give thanks.

We momentarily jar ourself loose
from the I still wants of life,
and settle awhile on the
so glad I haves.

Lord, I'm thankful for my
family,
health,
job,
faith.

Seldom, if ever,
do we flip our list over,
start anew at the top,
and open our hearts (and our lives!)
to the possibility of thankfulness
found in the have nots.

And yet, here, in this uncharted,
never go to place,
are blessings
never before seen,
never before counted,
never before mentioned at the Thanksgiving table.

Lord, I'm thankful I don't have - - -
Lord, I'm thankful I didn't get - - -
Lord, I thankful I haven't - - -

Sometimes, when we truly,
sincerely,
open-heartedly,
reflect on our life,
we make the most astonishing discovery of all:
Some of our greatest November (life long!) thank yous
are not what we can list,
but what we can't.

This year,
as we make out our grocery list,
launder the tablecloth,
defrost the turkey,
vacuum behind the sofa,
and dust off the light fixtures,
may we stop for a moment (an hour, a day, a lifetime!)
and re-examine our giving of thanks.

May we be willing to try more than
a new recipe,
a new tablescape
a new guest list.

May we be willing to try a new kind of thanksgiving -
thanksliving!

In all ways,

in all things,
in all moments,
in all the days of our lives,
may we give thanks.

Counting our haves
and our have nots.

Being mindful of what we got
and what we didn't get.

Giving thanks for our dos
and our don'ts.

This year,
as we push back from the table,
another great meal settling in our tummy,
may we choose not to settle
for life as before.

As we take the leaf from the table,
and place the china back in the hutch,
may we
intentionally
and
purposefully
let an attitude of gratitude remain.

As we slip into each new day,
and make our descent ( or ascent!) to the end of our life,
may we choose to keep
the joy of counting blessings,
both the dos and the don'ts,
smack dab in the center of our life.