A Time for Thanks

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and that means this is a time to practice being thankful. Of course, every day is a time for thankfulness, but I want to encourage a habit in the days ahead (and ideally even longer) to practice an "attitude of gratitude."

I'll hopefully finish my posts about our Disney trip during Thanksgiving break. Until then, I hope my reflections on thankfulness help you AND me to be thankful every chance we get.

The thing I'm thankful for tonight is my health. A childhood friend, just a year older than me, died in April. My dear friend's mother-in-law is facing the twilight of her life on earth. My wonderful coworker Jeffrey was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. His prognosis is good (thank you, Lord!). Still, I'm reminded by all of these situations that good health is not a blessing we all enjoy - and it's definitely not one that any of us enjoys forever (at least not on this side of heaven).

I've been so blessed to not have to fight for my life. I'm humbled by those people, including Jeffrey, who reflect on their diagnosis with trust in the Lord and choose to see His goodness when the sickness of our world offers another option: despair. And as I type this, I realize I'm not just thankful for being healthy; I'm thankful for the people who show me how to respond with trust in the Lord even when I'm not.

What are you thankful for today?