Most parts of the US have had more winter this year than in the last several. Many areas of the country have been slammed with snow, ice, and subfreezing temperatures for the last month or so and it’s played havoc with holding Sunday Worship locally. Even my daughter in Texas received several inches of the white stuff combined with single digit temperatures this past week.
My mother didn’t like the cold and often sat as close to our woodstove as she could possibly get without incurring blisters. In addition to her grey woolen coat, her winter garb normally included rabbit-fur lined leather gloves and fuzzy ear muffs.
Although she yearned for warmer weather, I don’t recall her complaining about being cold. Instead of bemoaning the frigid temperatures, she usually shared her thankfulness for heat.
In fact, I don’t recall our mom complaining much at all. Even on summer’s hottest days, she would always give thanks for the nice breeze coming in the window that none of the rest of us could feel. Mom always found something to be thankful for even in the worst situations.
Since her birthday would have been this past week, I’ve been remembering her spirit of gratitude that permeated all she did. She wrote thank you notes to the folks who plowed our highways even though her tax dollars paid their salaries. She thanked us for shoveling her walks even though she served us thousands of meals for which we seldom said thank you.
Thankfulness was mom’s mode of operation and a fragrant flower that flourished in her garden. It was her default setting and she constantly was thanking someone for something. Even on her deathbed, she thanked her nurses for all they did for her.
While we might attribute her spirit of thanksgiving to some congenital trait, I believe otherwise. Although I didn’t know her early in life, I suspect she was like the rest of us: complaining about little things as well as big and failing to say thanks more often than not.
Being thankful is not inherited like eye color or height. It’s not acquired by diet, exercise, or osmosis. Gratitude must be intentionally nurtured. Being raised by thankful parents is certainly an advantage and working in an environment rich in gratitude is beneficial, but neither of these guarantees that we will mimic and acquire this beautiful quality.
Some believe that the plant of gratitude requires soil rich with wealth and health. The more blessed we are, the more thankful blooms we’ll produce. Sadly, that’s not the case and many times these growing conditions result in full wilt as we claim credit for our blessings and come not only to expect, but demand such benefits.
This fragrant flower of thanksgiving can actually thrive in most any soil as long as it is intentionally cultivated. Sometimes a lack of material wealth forces us to look harder for things to give thanks for no matter how insignificant they may be. This ability to identify even the smallest blessings fertilizes us to more easily appreciate the larger ones when they come.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul tells those who follow Jesus to, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Many times we struggle to discern God’s will regarding occupations, mates, or other life decisions while neglecting His clearly revealed will concerning our character and behavior.
The fact that Paul commands gratitude indicates that it is not simply a weed growing accidentally, but one that we can and must intentionally plant, water, prune, and foster. It’s also no coincidence that he mentions it as a triplet growing alongside joy and prayer. Might it be that the more we do any of these, the more they all will flourish in our lives?
There will always be plenty of things to complain about. Conversely, there are many blessings waiting to be recognized and acknowledged. With God’s help, let’s determine to plant, water, and nurture the seed of gratitude that it might flourish beautifully in our lives.
Blessings, George