Let's Get Thankful

Right now I am thankful for rock and roll in the morning that tells me "it's time to get up and GO!"

I am thankful that I have a place to come back to here on the east coast where I am welcomed by many open arms.

I am thankful for being able to study Greek on a holiday. (Wait, what?) Well, why shouldn't I be thankful? I am learning amazing things, like how to read the Scriptures in the languages they were originally written in. Why not praise God for that? (In all things give thanks.)

I am thankful for the computer that I so often hate, and usually with good reason. I am thankful that it lets me create and learn and then share those things with you.

I am thankful for wired electronics... they prevent a scatterbrain like me from loosing all of my gizmos. I am thankful for the endless fun I have untieing the knots that they inevitably end up in.

I am thankful for friends. Friend who forgive. Friends who love. Friends who care enough to go beyond the casual: "Hey, how's life" and actually want to know how you are doing and want to invest time in you. I am thankful for friends who will let you drink their gin, friends that will let you crash on their couch after a bad night, friends who will drive you to the airport at 3AM, friends who after 2 years of no conversation at all will just pick it up again like nothing ever happened.

I am thankful for school, after all, I'm paying for it... almost like I want to be here.

I am thankful for sisters who constantly let you know that you are loved and missed while you are thousands of miles away.

I am thankful for parents who always love to have you back at their house, no matter what has happened, no matter how long it's been, no matter what you've done, parents who still want you to call their home your home.

I am thankful that I am son the the Great King, the Creator of the universe, the Author of the Endless Russian novel, the Founder of the Deep Magic and Writer of the Hand Book. I cannot be crushed, because the King is my strength, He is my song, and He has become my salvation.

But what I am perhaps most thankful for this year is a lesson I just learned; the lesson of thankfulness. First thing I should lay down before I go further: Ephesians 5:1-4

"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving."

Look at the last word there, thanksgiving. It is the attitude that trumps all the others. It is the spiritual fruit that kills all those sins. Of course this needs to be true thankfulness in Christ in order for it to work, but believe me... it DOES work. On my worst days it has been a struggle, but when I can get alone and go for a walk and just start talking freely... instead of whining I try to get thankful. Pray earnestly on your knees, think about what you have and how you have been blessed. Stop the "oh, I can't stand that teacher" and give thanks for that teacher. Stop being frustrated by what you don't have and look around at what you do have; give thanks for it. Mad at someone, thank God for them. Have a task to do that you really, really would rather not do, be thankful for how it will grow you up and prepare you for the challenges that you will face in your future.

Not thankful? Well there is really only one remedy: get thankful... then you will be thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving, gang!

Cheers and stuff,
JSTT