1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
This was the first year I have ever spent Thanksgiving away from home. It was the first time I wasn’t surrounded by my mom and dad, my aunts, my uncles, my cousins, and my grandma. Instead I was in hostel living with 24 World Racers.
After pricing out groceries and trying to figure out how it would be logistically possible to cook a Thanksgiving feast for 25 people, we decided it would be easier to have dinner at a restaurant.
It was easily one of the most interesting Thanksgivings, some people ordered fish, others got burgers! It was by no means traditional but it was by no means any less blessed than the years before.
Team Fuego De Dios on Thanksgiving Day
Upon meditating on what I was thankful for, I choose to write a small list of things I am thankful here in South Africa and that I think you at home can be thankful for too but might at times overlook.
I am thankful that
- I have clean water to drink
- I have working electricity
- I have a refrigerator
- We have nutritious food to eat
- I have stove to cook on
- I don’t have travel around all month
- I have a bed
- I have [mostly] clean clothes
- I have a pillow
- I have SOME internet access
- I have a bathroom
- I can take a shower
- I have hot water
- I am constantly surrounded by people that encourage me
- I am on the World Race
- I have a family at home that supports my decision to be here
- I have BOTH my parents
- I have continued support from friends and family
- And that I AM LOVED!
Yes, my list short, and I can go on and on about little things I appreciate like having peanut butter to eat even though I don’t like it; but the point is that at times we overlook the “little” things when in the rest of the world, they really are luxuries. What were you thankful for this Thanksgiving?
