A Thanksgiving Prayer

Blessed be the LORD! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed. (Psalm 28:6-8 ESV). Stores are decorated, travel plans are made, and Thanksgiving is but days away. This year is more unusual than every before. This year Mary and I will not be with all of our boys. Because of schedules and work they will be unable to come to Tennessee. Of course, we are very grateful to be able to be with Kyle, Brandy, Faith and Logan; but miss David, Becca, and Aaron. We will see them for Christmas in Texas. I am thankful for some and desire more. Isn’t that true for many of us? In the middle of all of those thoughts, our reading this morning came to me. How do you “burst out in songs of thanksgiving,” when you don’t feel very thankful? How do you look beyond the circumstances of the moment and be grateful? The answer to these questions was really rather simple. I stumbled on the following prayer; it helped to bring some things into focus for me. Maybe it will for you as well. Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings each morning, thank you, Lord that I can hear. There are many who are deaf. Even though I keep my eyes tightly closed against the morning light as long as possible, thank you, Lord that I can see. There are many who are blind. Even though I may huddle in my bed and put off the effort of rising, thank, Lord that I have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden. Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burned, and tempers are short, thank you, Lord for my family. There are many who are lonely. Even though our breakfast table may never look like the pictures in magazines and the menu is at times unbalanced, thank you, Lord for the food we have. There are many who have no job. Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day and wish my circumstances were not so modest, thank you, Lord for the gift of life. The key is looking out instead of in. It’s so easy to find things that are not as good as we might prefer. However, when I look at the challenges others face, my circumstances are no more than minor inconveniences. As you prepare for your holiday this week, where are you looking?