Continuing to be Thankful

Have you ever heard the phrase, don’t forget to stop and smell the roses? What that means is that in our hurried lives, we will pass by many roses and just quickly admire them for their color. But if you REALLY want to enjoy them, you must also take the time to stop, stoop down, and inhale deeply their wonderful fragrance. And oh my, how much more you appreciate a rose when you smell it and see it.

It is this same sentiment that has me stopping weekly (if not more often) to smell the roses of thanks in my own life. In my rushed schedule, I so often quickly say “yeah, I have a good life.” Which is true, but is a very general statement, which doesn’t allow me to fully appreciate just how much God has blessed me. So by taking time to consider all I have to be thankful for, and create as big of a list as I can over time, I fully see His blessing - more and more of it every week. And it is amazing how much there is to be thankful for that I would never have considered had I not taken the time. Things like these:

- A warm, quiet house on a windy/rainy morning.

- The way my son tells me stories of his day when I get home from work, even though he uses mainly gestures and sounds because he’s 2. 

- Although I don’t have a perfect marriage, I have a wife who is willing to work on improving it with me.

- All the good friends I’ve made through my job, who I now consider like family

- A beautiful Christmas tree decorated by my wife and son (while I took pictures)

- The way Skype lets us see and hear family even when we can’t be near them.

- A new band of brothers that is forming in my life, centered around a shared experience in Jesus.

- My purple 1997 Ford Escort that gets such good gas mileage and has so few mechanical problems.

- A pat on the leg and a knowing smile to reassure me it would be alright.

- For the relationship we are building with Anjali, the girl we sponsor through Compassion International.

- Old Brethren hymns that are forever burned in my memory and are a part of who I am; The Old Rugged Cross, Pass It On, Take My Life, etc.

- The excitement of Christmas parties that are coming

- My son standing at the top of the stairs after his bath, calling for one last kiss and hug from Papa before bedtime.

- The story that inspired a hand-made Christmas gift idea for my wife. If I can just finish it in time…

- meals shared around the table in the evenings

Take some time to stop and smell the roses today, and give God thanks for His many blessings. We have much to be thankful for - God’s been good to us.