Giving Thanks

My mind has been aching for me to write. I have a whirlwind of disconnected thoughts that I pray God can connect to your heart for me.

With the coming of Thanksgiving I have found myself pondering and thinking about the attitude of

 thanksgiving

 contentment

 joy
I have realized, more than ever, how seamlessly they seem to be connected to each other. The presence of contentment, leads to a heart of thanksgiving, which leads to a life of joy.

In my quest to have a more focused and intent approach to this holiday season, I picked up Ann Voskamp's book, "The Greatest Gift". It's written to guide one through the season of Advent, using passages from the entire Bible. Her writing on day 3 (also written in her book One Thousand Gifts) resonated with me: "Our fall was, has always been, and always will be, that we aren't satisfied in God and what He gives. We hunger for something more, something other. The only thing that will satisfy our hunger for more is to hunger for the One who comes down to Bethlehem, house of Bread, the One who comes after us and offers Himself as Bread for our starved souls."

How guilty I am of always wanting more of everything but God.

A little more money

 A few more outfits

 New household decor

 Upgraded technology

 The list could continue on and on because everywhere we look, Satan can remind us of what we do not have. The root of envy, jealousy, discontentment begins to grow and quickly squelches out the seed of joy.

Is it possible to focus on our blessings instead?

The raging wood stove that has my home so cozy and warm.

 My freezers so stuffed full of food that I can't possibly fit one more item in.

 My healthy children who have the blessing of receiving an education.

 A husband who works two jobs that allows me to be a stay-at-home mom. 

 Thankfulness is a choice; one that does not always come easy. It is often much easier to gripe and complain what is wrong with our day, our week, our life. It takes a daily dose of perspective to fill that hunger for something more. There are so many others around the world who are much more thankful people, but have a whole lot less than us.

As you sit around your tables, surrounded by family and friends in the coming days, I encourage you to seek the only Bread that will satisfy your hunger. Surrender your starved soul to the One who replenishes and revives.

So true!:


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