And Never Forget It

Sunrise in the neighborhood...grateful for another new day.

How often has a little everyday scene (like this sunrise moment from earlier this fall) in our lives stopped us in our tracks, almost as a heavenly tap on the shoulder that says “pay attention to this.” One moment would be wonderful, but when there are three saying the same thing, the tap on the shoulder becomes a grab. Three such moments from this year—one in summer, one at the start of this month, and one this week—are sticking to my soul as a theme in a very good sort of way.

And I wonder if they might be a universal call to planet Earth from Heaven’s megaphone?

First, at my high school's 50th reunion this summer, out of a ton of things to remember and celebrate, there was this billboard that God himself seemed to be pointing to most of all:

“‘Enjoy the life and breath I have given…and never forget to be grateful.’ Through the names and faces and voices of classmates I could barely remember, over and over, I kept hearing the same thing: through all their hardships and disappointments and losses…'I’m grateful. Every day is precious.’ So bark less, wag more. Amen, and amen (and never forget it).”

And then, as October turned to November, the theme suddenly burst on the scene once more. On Twitter, no less. As I quickly scrolled through my feed one morning, there was a photo with a message posted by a friend that seemed to jump out of the phone and into my heart more than any news event of the day:

“Happy November…November is the month that reminds us to be thankful for the positive things in our life.”

And then this week, as 2022 turned the corner toward Thanksgiving and Christmas, the theme again stopped me in my tracks. It was loud and it was wonderful. It was a simple photo and message from our high school’s athletic director and his family:

“This year we are starting a new tradition, getting a tree up a little early and filling it with things we are grateful for. #thegratitudetree”… (All the decorations are gratitude reminders.)

These three simple markers seemed to be shouting the same thing: that while it is always good to be thankful, being grateful is even better. The two words are not the same. One psychiatric medical professional put it this way:

 “Gratitude is an attitude of appreciation under any circumstance. Gratitude involves being thankful, but it is more than that. Gratitude means expressing thankfulness and being appreciative of life daily even when nothing exciting happens. …Gratitude is your decision that the day is a good day even when evidence points to the opposite. You do not need something good to happen to have gratitude, and when bad things happen, your gratitude does not falter.”

So, yes, it is good (and delicious) that the fourth Thursday of every November has been set aside for simply giving thanks. But maybe God's grab of my shoulder is saying it is better to know and remember this..

Gratitude is always in season.

And so from high school reunions to a friend’s tweet and to a family’s fantastic Christmas tree, I am resolved on Thanksgiving week to once again live by a resounding theme. The invitation to join is open to all…

For every to-do list, shopping list, and priority list, add this one:

A gratitude list.

Count your many blessings, name them one by one.

All of them.

The ones you take for granted.

Like your own bed after a long day.

Or how no two sunsets are ever the same.

Or, an eagle flying low overhead as you run near a field.

Go ahead. You will soon run out of paper.

And things like negativity, self-pity, envy and irritation will run out with them...

“Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord,

Walk in union with Him,

Reflecting His character in the things you do and say…

Becoming continually built up in Him

And becoming increasingly more established in your Faith…

And overflowing in it with gratitude.”

(Colossians 2:6-7, Amplified)

Remember that worship is my response to a revelation that everything—

Every single good and perfect gift in life, and the Life to come,

Is from Him.

Every day.

Take nothing, nothing, absolutely noting for granted.

Give thanks with a grateful heart.

Amen and amen (and never forget it).

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”

—Meister Eckhart, German theologian