THANKSLIVING by Maxine Durham

I recently finished Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Where You Are. I'll confess that it took me several months to get through it. She is a pretty deep theologian...and since I am not, sometimes I got a little overwhelmed or just goobed out!  But, her point was amazing. If we constantly bring God thanks for all the little things, we are constantly worshipping, which brings joy, even in our boring day-to-day lives.

So, this November, I'm going to challenge myself to start a Thanksgiving journal...well, let me call it a THANKSLIVING JOURNAL. It's not necessarily for the huge things, but for the things I kinda have to be searching for.  

Every believer would start their list with the unimaginable gift of salvation. My little old southern brain honestly cannot handle that thought. I don't get it. I don't understand how very HOLY GOD is.....or how very sinful I am. How GRACIOUS HE is....how undeserving I am. Why HE chose me before the beginning of time? Worked on my dirty behalf? Let people beat HIM, spit on HIM, and mortify HIM publicly before hanging on a crude cross and dying an agonizing death....to go to Hell and take MY punishment. To have me get so busy and wrapped up in all this "important" stuff and (let me be honest) sometimes forget it. That, even after knowing everything HE did for me, I still sin....over and over. I'm constantly turning my back on HIM and choosing my ways instead of being quiet and still to even try to listen for HIS way. I'm a disgrace...a hypocrite...a pharisee...a loser.

And, YET, in HIS love and mercy (I cannot even fathom this!), HE still died for me, saved me, and somehow (this is wild!) uses me to bless others! 

So, aside from salvation (which should have me rejoicing every minute of every day), I am going to strive to seek out HIS love gifts. I'm not going to overcommit myself. I can't promise I'll find one each day for a year. Or go to 1000. I do pray, though, that I get so consumed in realizing HIS gifts that this is a lifelong, every day action. But, I'm starting small.....remember my brain is slow!  

Isaiah 6:3b
Isaiah 64:6
Ephesians 1:4