Pastor's Corner: Thankful

If you're like me, you may get used to certain things in life and come to take them for granted. For example, we assume that when we open a faucet, water comes out or when we flip a switch, a light comes on.

On the recent mission trip that I went on, it reminded me that in many parts of the world those things don't always work like that. Upon arriving home, I suddenly felt very fortunate to have a comfortable home, plenty of clothes to wear and an abundance of food to eat. I realize that there are plenty of areas in our own country where that may not be the case, but for most of us, it really is.

During this month of Thanksgiving Day, let me encourage each of us to take stock of what we do have. A simple suggestion might be to start each day by thinking of several things you're thankful for (family, job, home, etc.) and ending the day the same (food, clothing, friends, etc.). Over time, perhaps this will be a good habit and help us develop a more thankful attitude than we may already have.

I know that I can too easily shift my focus from being thankful for what I do have to wishing for things I don't. Some of those longings may be legitimate, but I'll admit that some of them are simply giving in to discontent. Let me also encourage all of us to let the truth of Psalm 100 and others like it to shape our thankfulness. This is a great time of year to celebrate Thanksgiving, but let's commit to making it a something we do all year!