‘Tis the season for “#noshaveNovember” and social media “#30daysofthankfulness,” and while I haven’t participated in either – one for obvious reasons, and the other because I don’t have that much time on my hands, there is something to be said about being intentional about remembering what we have to be thankful for. So, here it goes:
- God loving me enough to die for me
- My hubby for being my partner, my provider, my friend, an amazing father…
- My eldest son asking Jesus into his heart this year
- My youngest son finding his own things to be proud of in his life
- Grandmas and papas who love my kids beyond what words can say
- Aunts and uncles who even from far distances love and encourage
- Friends for sharing in the journey of life
- Hugs before bedtime
- A roof over my head
- Food to eat at every meal
- Broncos games on Sundays
- Fuzzy socks on cold days
- Peppermint coffee creamer
- Kids singing in the back seat of the car
I really could go on and on with this, but as I reflect on these things, I think about those of you I have talked with who feel more overwhelmed by loss, grief, anger, sadness, etc… than feelings of thankfulness this Thanksgiving. These come because:
- You have lost a family member who used to sit at the Thanksgiving table
- Your family split up and you have to choose where to have Thanksgiving
- You can’t stand the person who calls themselves your partner who sits across the table from you because of all the hurt between you
- You can’t be with the people you want to be
- You or family members are ill
- You have been deeply hurt by someone
- You have been through something else that steals the joy of the holiday
- You are too stressed by work or life’s busyness
- You have your own reasons…
I understand, and have had holidays filled with more of those feelings and experiences and I know that it is not easy. So what do you do? I don’t have all the answers and certainly don’t pretend to, but here are some suggestions that have worked for me and others:
- Find five things every day to be grateful for – even in the darkest places, you can find good
- Spend time reading about Jesus in the Bible in the book of John – you will find that He knows your pain personally
- Honor those you have lost by sharing good memories of them
- Give to others who are less fortunate than you are
- Slow down and be in the moments
- Give yourself time and space to grieve
- Think about how to make new traditions with the people you still have
- Work toward making amends where you need to
- Find someone to help you through the hurt – you are not meant to deal with it alone
From my family to yours, my hope for you is a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving – no matter where you are in your journey.
