TAKE INVENTORY

 Here we are again, that time of year when families get together for the holidays.   We get so consumed with the hustle and bustle that often times we forget to stop and take it all in.  Thanksgiving Day: the day to give thanks.   

When I look at my life and the people I share it with, I can’t help to be grateful.  However, I admit, I don’t always behave that way.    I can tell you 5 things that I am challenged with these days.  For example: my car has seen the mechanic more times this year than we have seasons.  An army of ants have declared war on my house and refuse to concede.  Road construction projects have added 20 minutes travel time to my morning route to work.  Wait…isn’t this called complaining?

Complain:  [kuh  m-pleyn]

Verb

1.    to express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness censure, resentment, or grief

It doesn’t get us anywhere, but we do it all the time.  We complain about the dissatisfaction in our lives until we are either angry or depressed.  The bible says in 1Thessalonians 5:18:

Give thanks in all circumstances (ESV)

It doesn't say to remember to give thanks once a year.  It doesn't say to give thanks when things are going easy.  It says, in all circumstances, give thanks.  There is something about giving thanks and showing appreciation for the things you have instead of focusing on the things you don’t have.  For example, my car may have had mechanical problems, but I am grateful that I have a car to get around in. The ants that have decided to move in can easily be handled with pest control, but thank Goodness that I have a house to live in.  The traffic can be frustrating on the way to work but I am thankful that I have a job to go to.  

When we look at the circumstances that we are in on the surface, the immediate response is to complain.  If we look deeper, we may see that it could be worse than what it is and there is always something to be thankful for.  There is a homeless old man in a wheelchair that I see often when I go to the supermarket. Every time I see Tony, I chat with him and give him a bottle of water or a sandwich.  Once I asked him how he was doing and he replied, “I’m alive, I met some nice people today and you blessed me with this ice cold bottle of water.  I am a grateful man.”  I thought the heat of the summer was getting to him and didn't think much about what he said at the time.  In retrospect, wasn’t Tony living out 1 Thessalonians 5:18?  Even being homeless, he found reasons to be thankful. 

Let’s take inventory of our lives.  Often time we take things for granted and whether it is a little or a lot, we forget to give thanks.  I challenge you to take a closer look at your life and you will see opportunities to be thankful instead of areas to complain about.  I bought a journal and titled it the “Thankful Book”.  Every day I list 5 different things I am grateful for in the journal.  This practice has changed my perspective of my circumstances and keeps me thankful in all things. 

I want to know what you are thankful for.  Tweet me @MendingMaria #thankful.  You can also email me at info@mendingmaria.com.  I would love to hear from you!

Mending Maria