I Am Truly Thankful

Here in the good ol' United States of America we have a little holiday we call "Thanksgiving".

It is normally accompanied by family gathering to enjoy a large dinner (complete with a turkey and usually mashed potatoes). I also hear that some people watch that game called "Football" on TV. (I wouldn't know about that though, football is way beyond me. As in I don't even know how they score a home run in football.....hmmm? Kidding. I know that football has nothing to do with home runs....just a bunch of people running around bumping into each other. Yup.).

Anyway. 

Thanksgiving (as the name implies) is a day when we can reflect on what we are thankful for.

Cliche' sounding no? 

Yes actually. 

I think often we say that we are thankful for something, but those end up being empty words. 

"Ummm...I am thankful for my house. It is warm."

"I am thankful for food that tastes good."

Oh yes, those are wonderful, grand things to be thankful for and I am the guiltiest of this "halfhearted thankfulness just because I have to" thing. 

Like I said, it can get cliche'.

No. I am not saying that a home is a bad thing to be thankful for (in fact, it is a wonderful thing) , nor is food (we couldn't live without it).  But don't you want to strive to be thankful for something that means more? Or at least means something different? Something deeper?

I know I do.

So. I have compiled a small list of things I am thankful for. 

1. A longing for the Word of God. 

Wanting to read His word. Wanting to learn more. Wanting to spend time with Him all the time. 

How could I not be thankful for that? It is -to me- the most sublime of things. 

2. Relationships that teach. 

People that make an impact. Friends that teach with their quite actions. Family that loves, the family that knows us better than anyone else does. 

3. The gift of learning.
Learning life lessons. Learning about the past. Learning a new friend. Learning how to love.
4. When my lens broke. 
Yes. 
I had a lens of mine break two weeks ago.  
Let me tell you, I was not too happy about it. 
I sent it into Canon, and in the meantime I had to use my old camera and my old lens. 
You see, I am doing a "Fall Photo-a-Day Challenge". Taking a picture every day in November. 
So I had to keep up with the project….but without my lens that went on my good camera I didn't feel like shooing with my old camera. 
I was going to quit the challenge. 
But then a dear friend challenged me to keep going. She said, "It is not the camera, it is the photographer." 
Oh dear. She had me there.
So I went on. 
And learned how to "work hard" to make good photos. 
And I am so thankful that my lens broke. 
Because I learned how to stretch myself. 
5. Words from others. 
Wether they be kind words, or mean words.
Every word makes an impact.
6. Joy.
Nothing can replace pure joy.
A joy that can only come from Him. Jesus Christ.


Also.
As a bit of a history about thanksgiving I am re-posting a video I made of an event my church did.

And that is that.  
Happy Thanksgiving and that you have a chance to think about what you are truly thankful for (even if you don't live in America). 

The end.

~Mackenzie Hope~