It’s pretty normal in the month of November to start thinking about being thankful.  Many families have a tradition of going around the table at the Thanksgiving meal and each one sharing something for which they are thankful.

In the days after Hurricane Sandy blew through, there were many times I reminded myself to be thankful for all I had, and how little the storm really impacted me, especially in contrast to so many in the area.  After all, my home sustained no damage, I had plenty of gas in my car, and Keswick took care of meals for many of our staff in the days afterward while we waited for electricity to come back on.  I have a mother-in-law who lives locally who never lost electricity, and we spent many evenings there eating dinner, taking showers, and watching TV. 

But as I got ready for work this morning, now that the power is back on, I found myself thankful for so many things that I don’t think about most days.
– a full coffeepot
– a hot shower
– lights to see while I got dressed and put on makeup (ever try to do that by flashlight?)
– milk in a refrigerator that worked
– a warm house

I think you get my drift.  I have those things everyday, but how often am I thankful for them?  For a number of months, I have been slowly reading Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts. The days when I go home for lunch I read a few pages.  It’s slow reading – her style is very poetic and descriptive.  It’s also very thought-provoking, so it takes time to read through.  But the basic point is finding things for which to be thankful in our everyday life.  Finding God in those everyday moments.

I think monumental events like Sandy turn our thoughts to all that we have, and remind us to be grateful.   I may even start a gratefulness journal and see if, like Ann, I can’t find one thousand – or more – things for which to be thankful.

In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Ruth Schmidt

Ruth Schmidt is on full-time staff at America’s Keswick, and grateful to be a daughter of the King.