Childish Christmas and Extreme Makeover
I don’t know about you, but there are days in my life when I just look around and see the wonderful blessings that so intricately woven into my life. Today has been one of those days. In fact I have had quite a few of these days recently. Maybe it comes with the season, but I think more than that God is really trying to teach me something. I love those moments of realization. Sometimes they happen subtly, and other times it happens like a bolt of lightning that flashes in a split second across the sky illuminating everything. When this happens, its like life becomes more real and somehow it all fits together perfectly.
Thankfulness is one of those things that you are always told as a kid is really important, however it doesn’t really matter how many times we are told it never becomes important until we experience a moment of true gratitude. I was recently able to celebrate Christmas a little early with my wife’s extended family, and as the smaller kidos were opening their gifts their parents would say, “Tell (insert gift giver) thank you.” and the child would then frantically say thank you to that person moving quickly to the next present. We have all experienced that at some point, and it is fun and interesting to watch parents try and instill a spirit of gratitude into their children. This is a good spirit to have, but we can all tell when it isn’t sincere as well as when there is no doubt that it is for real.
I have found myself having very sincere gratitude for a multitude of things in my life. Some of you have probably seen the television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. There are people on that show that are going through some pretty rotten situations, yet they are thankful for what they do have and you can tell that they really are thankful and not just saying it because someone told them to (like a little kid getting presents at Christmas). Today as I sit here in front of this screen typing my mind is flooded with things that I am thankful for, and not just passively thankful, but honest to goodness thankful that life is what it is for me.
I can’t recall a time when I have ever had to think about where my next meal was coming from or worry about not having a place of shelter. God has blessed me so much, and I could never express the gratitude that he deserves. I am also truly thankful for the family that God has given me and the friends that He has surrounded me with. How could I ask for more out of life than what he has given me? I am amazed when I am able to just sit down and reflect on my short 24 years of life and see the fingerprints of God all over it. It is in these moments that I have the sentiments of 1 Chronicles 16:34 (The Message), “Give thanks to God—he is good and his love never quits.” To me that means that even after all of the good things I have received He is not finished. There is still more in store for me, and all of us!
I am not sure where you find yourself this holiday season, but I pray that you would remember to find time to reflect on all the good things around you (even if you are in the midst of some rotten circumstances), and give sincere thanks and praise for those things. I can guarantee you that you will live life differently. Don’t go through life like the child at Christmas having to be told to say thanks, instead live life like the people on Extreme Makeover with exuberant thanksgiving for the blessings that we have in our lives even if we don’t deserve them. Peace and Love.
