As Thanksgiving approaches, I have been thinking about traditions of home around this time of year. Once I get past the thoughts of football with the family and my mama’s cooking, both things that I have dearly missed out on the field this year, I think of our main family tradition. It isn’t anything grand or unique, as I’m sure most of your families do the same or something similar.
Each year as we gather around the table to enjoy a family feast, my mom asks each of us to go around and tell what it is that we are most thankful for that year. She always takes it a step further and asks that we not use broad categories such as family and health but that we think more deeply and give specific responses based on how we have been most blessed in the past year.
Since I will not be home to participate in this activity with my family later this week, I decided to ponder the question myself in keeping with tradition. As I think on it I realize that my list this year is quite different than it has been in the past. I am thankful this year for things that I would have taken for granted and perhaps not appreciated at all a year ago. I have included an excerpt of this list below . . .
- I am thankful that I was safe and protected during my travels. And further, I am thankful that he kept my family and friends safe and well at home for me to return to in a few weeks.
- I am thankful that I had food to eat. I may have eaten more rice and pasta than one person ever hoped to in their life and some things may have tasted strange or caused stomach issues, but the Lord was faithful in providing for my needs and there were even a few AWESOME treats along the way!
- I am thankful for the ability to keep clean. In some countries this meant bucket showers, ice cold running water, or water with a higher than desirable sulfur content . . . and why has the shower curtain not caught on?! Bathing experiences have been interesting this year to say the least but I am thankful simply for the opportunity for cleanliness.
- I am thankful that each place that I lived this year had a western toilet . . . even if we used a variety of styles of “squattys” around town. I may have shared it with 20+ people or had to use buckets to flush at times, but it was a western toilet and for that I am grateful.
- I am thankful that the Lord provided me with a LARGE community of roommates to live with for the year. At times there were of us in one house than I would have preferred and privacy is something that I can barely remember, but the blessings and growth that I experienced from being in this community is greater than I ever could have imagined.
I have only included a few of the many things that I am thankful for here, for sake of time and blog length, but I think you get the idea. My perspectives on things have changed. I have learned this year that there is a blessing in each and every thing that God provides, but these blessings are often overlooked because of the inconveniences or because we are wishing it could be more or better. I know that I have fallen into this trap far too many times in my past and it is an area that I am really striving to improve in for my future.
I want to challenge each of you to do the same and to offer a fun little way that I was taught by some fellow racers to do this. Since situations out here were often different from what we were used to or comfortable with, people would play the “thankful game” as a way to refocus themselves on the “blessings” of the situation. You can play anytime you find yourself facing a difficult trial, uncomfortable situation, or just find yourself having a typical bad day. All that you do is stop and name at least 5 things that you are thankful for specifically in that situation. Try it! You just might find that you will look at things in a different way and maybe even find some hidden blessings in the situation.
I want to thank all of you for your continued prayers for me as I wrap up this journey and to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
