PUMPKINS & PRAISE

Pumpkins and praise— it’s Canadian Thanksgiving! Whether you are Canadian or not (my American friends can think of this as a warm-up for their November holiday—and my English friends can think of it as Harvest Festival on steroids) …what are YOU thankful for today? Is it heartfelt or half-hearted? Do we even have TIME to be thankful these days? Someone pass the pumpkin pie…

“The real problem of life is never a lack of time. The real problem of life—in my life—is lack of thanksgiving.” Ann Voskamp.

Yeah, it’s more of a heart issue than a clock issue. I guess when it comes down to it, we can ALWAYS make time to give thanks—it’s not like we have to block out three hours, in fact, we could show a whole lot of gratitude in just three minutes! Really, in the time it takes for me to check my Instagram feed, I could actually experience some meaningful “thank you” time with Jesus, simply counting my blessings and being grateful.

Not only does that bring Him delight, it focuses my mind on how much He has done for me. That fills me right up until my cup “runneth over”…and then perhaps the joyful run-off will permeate into the lives of those around me. Winner winner, turkey dinner. (Thanksgiving version.)

“Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.” Colossians 3:17 (The Message)

Thanking God the Father every step of the way… I’ll confess, I don’t give thanks for all the things. I just don’t. Sometimes my heart is hard or hurting and it’s just plain difficult to be thankful—we all go through tough seasons and questioning seasons and sorrowful seasons. It’s a challenge to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) But even in the storm, deep in our sorrow, He is steadfast and He is good. Check out Psalm 136…He is praiseworthy always, my friend!

I don’t know about you, but quite often I simply forget to give thanks. I just glanced at my list of things to be grateful for in Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts, and I am on item 859… which might sound okay until I tell you I started it in 2014. Ugh. And I’ve had plenty to be thankful for—intentional gratitude is simply not on my heart as much as it should be. Truly, I’m a “sporadic thanker” and that’s not good! I’m chintzing out on God and I’m hindering myself from living my fullest, richest, most joyful life: a life of gratitude, and not just when there’s a turkey on the table.

“May gratitude to God permeate my entire life.” C.H. Spurgeon

Oh yes please. You want in? Maybe when you’re sipping that pumpkin latte or go to check your Instagram feed or head out for a walk in the fallen leaves—simply take time to give thanks. It’s time well spent, I promise.

Write it down, sing it out, say it or pray it, but this Thanksgiving, let’s all give thanks… from the heart!