Thankful

A couple of my Facebook friends have been posting one thing they're thankful for each day in November and it's been fun reading their posts every day.  The other day, one of my friends posted something that made me think:

Day 21 thankful for my TEETH!!
As most of you know I've always made jokes about my big "horse" teeth...well after today I will never ever complain again again[sic]! I will be minus one as of 9:15 this am! YOU NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO YOU TILL THEY TELL YOU IT HAS TO GO!! YUCK!!

It's so true, isn't it?  You never know how much something means to you until you don't have it anymore. 

We all have things about ourselves, our lives, that we don't like.  Maybe you think your ears are too big, or your legs are too scrawny (not a problem around here, let me assure you), or your nose is lopsided (I swear it is, especially if I stare at it in the mirror for a really, really long time).  But at least you have ears, legs, and a nose.  Maybe you hate the stains in your carpet that seem to materialize overnight, or the fact that you don't have carpet, or the way the doors are set up in your house so they bang into each other all the time, but at least you have a home.  Maybe you hate the way your kids fight with each other, or delay their chores hoping that you'll forget, or whine, or expect you to buy them the latest everything, but at least you have kids and they're healthy.

And maybe...maybe you have none of these things.  You still have reason to be thankful.

We are so blessed.  We are blessed, even when our blessings seem ordinary--let's not take those blessings for granted.  We just celebrated Thanksgiving in the U.S.  Let's continue to be thankful, friends.  Every day.  Let's not become complacent in our gratitude, but remember to be thankful in every circumstance: the good, the bad, and the ordinary.

¹⁶ Rejoice always,

¹⁷ pray continually,

¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances;

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18