As I write this, Thanksgiving Thursday is almost over. Our family had a luncheon this year with my cousin and her husband and a newly hired pastor at my mother’s church and his family. Although the pandemic is not quite over, everyone feels like it is safe again to have larger gatherings. The better news is that my cousin is expecting her first child.
If you have been following the news, you should have heard about the supply chain problems, whether it is the record number of ships waiting to dock at the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, or the driver shortage. Experts tell us that perhaps this year we will not get our Black Friday or Christmas gifts in time. Perhaps out of fear, we are told to buy it now so our gifts will get to us in time.
However, studies have often proven that having an attitude of thanksgiving is much better for our health. Cancer patients and patients recovering from cardiac surgery recover faster if they have a good attitude. Instead of focusing on the negative, they focus on what they do have. Scientists are now proving what the Bible commands- that we must be thankful.
During the pandemic, when I could not meet with my friends or go to church, I started to list 3 things I was thankful for everyday in my journal. Some things were basic; that I still had a job (at least until November 2020), or for my family and friends. Others were more important: friendship. I listed specific people, especially those who have prayed for me over the years.
Then there is my church; they were my second family.
Lastly, I am thankful that God has not given up on me. When I think about all my sins and failures as a Christian, I am so surprised that Jesus does not abandon us. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus’s last words were that he would not leave us as orphans and that he will be with us to the end of the age. There is nothing in there about my vaccination status, failures, or who I voted for in the last few elections. For that, I am thankful for.
amicusveritae 