Wealthy Beyond Measure

What Are You Thankful For?

It’s the time of year when we tend to reflect on this question, but one that we ought to be asking ourselves daily…”What am I truly thankful for?”

We’re being intentional about it at home this week as we explore the many ways to reflect, write about, draw, and share who and what we are thankful for, and more precisely, WHY.

Why should two 9 year old girls reflect on being thankful for the many things it’s so easy to take for granted?  Why should they be reminded that if they’re grumbling and complaining, there can’t possibly be any room for thankfulness?  Why should we reflect on the fact that it’s not “all about us”, and turn instead, to consider other people and their needs?  Because this world needs more people focused on meeting the needs of others first, and more people willing to step in to the lives of other people to make a difference.

Some of the things we’re thankful for this week…

Our Health…we are reminded of a little girl named Super Addison, who at this very moment, is in the hospital battling cancer.  She is called “Super” Addison, because she has gone through so much in her 7 short years of life, but she demonstrates a love for life and a contagious energy so many of us often neglect or take for granted.  We’ve not met Super Addison, but follow her on Facebook, and are thankful for her and the opportunity to be a part of her journey, wish her well, and send her our prayers.  The community of friends and strangers that have stepped up into this family‘s life online to wish them well and walk with them in their journey has been absolutely amazing!

Our Home…we are truly thankful that, despite the economy and despite the housing market, we are still able to live in a home that we can afford and is not in foreclosure.  We are reminded of the many people (not just during the holidays) who are currently struggling with homelessness, pending foreclosure, eviction, and other factors that threaten the safety and peace of their home.  We are reminded of the importance of reaching out to those without homes during the holidays, and the rest of the year, to serve them in whatever ways we are being called.  Safe Families for Children is one of those organizations committed to just that and we are thankful to be able to support their efforts.

Our Family…we are not perfect, but we are thankful that in our imperfections, we have a group of people we can go to, to be loved and to share our love.  Our family continues to grow as our awareness of community and sense of purpose grows.  We are thankful for our immediate family, and our extended family, and we are thankful for our neighbors, our church family, the children we’ve been able to serve, and the many other wonderful people we’ve come to love over the years.  Family is relationship, and relationship is where we grow our best and most….and I love that our family continues to grow in size and in richness with every year that passes.

We can choose to focus on the things we don’t have, but much of it is an illusion anyway.  We are so abundantly blessed in many ways, and this Thanksgiving, we want to pause and give true thanks to the many ways we are rich…truly wealthy, every day.

Of the things that really matter, we  do have “All We Need”…here’s hoping others will assess and discover their riches this Thanksgiving and holiday season too!