Being Thankful

Yay, the holidays are here! Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so it's time to thank God for everything I have.

Except that I'm not feeling very thankful right now.

I'm on the fourth day of this migraine. No, it's not severe - only about a 5/10 - but it's bad enough to keep me from doing much. And the stabbing pain through my right cheek every 15 or 20 minutes could go away. And my PMS irritability is through the roof. Not to mention the cramping. And occasional nausea.

So, no, I'm not feeling very thankful. To God or anyone else. 

In fact, I'm feeling pretty sorry for myself, thankyouverymuch!

And right now, I'd like you to feel sorry for me, too!

So, now that that's off my chest, let's talk about what real thankfulness is all about. It's about giving thanks for what I have no matter what I feel like. God has been amazingly good for me, in spite of the migraines.

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
I Thessalonians 5:18

That was written by the Apostle Paul who had a lot of practice being thankful even when life was hard. And I think being thankful despite shipwrecks and being in prison is pretty impressive.

Actually, thankfulness is an act of the will, not something we feel. So, I can tell God that I am thankful for my family, my home, my church family, my friends, the fact that migraines are painful but rarely fatal, etc. even when I don't feel particularly thankful. When Patrick gets home, I'll thank him for being a wonderfully supportive husband even when I'm headachey and cranky. When Chris gets home, I'll thank him for bringing home Subway (not a day for me to cook!) and for being an awesome teenager. When I go to Stevens Point to see Lydia tomorrow, I'll hopefully feel more thankful, but even if I don't, I'll thank her for being an amazing young adult with a compassionate heart who cares about her mama. 

And having written all that out, I'm starting to feel a teensy bit thankful. (But I just had another stab of pain in the cheek, and that can really go away forever as far as I'm concerned!) But, mostly, I'm reminded to express thanks no matter what I feel. It's what God tells us to do, it makes me quit thinking about myself so much, and it allows me to communicate to others what they need to know.

So, go tell someone that you are thankful for them! (And quit feeling sorry for me - no matter what I said before!)