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Gratitude.

Thanks to a recent post on Michael Hyatt’s blog (Practicing the Attitude of Gratitude), thinking on what I’m thankful for has been a priority lately. Hyatt wrote that he carries a rock in his pocket and that every time he happens to touch it, he gives thanks for what’s happening where he is (good or bad). Hyatt also called all of us out for complaining as much as we do.

This could be better, that could be better, I wish this, I wish that. I’d be happier if…

He implies, I think, (and if he doesn’t, I still believe) that it is more worth our while to dwell on what we’re grateful for than to dwell on what we wish were different. That isn’t to say we should avoid the things in our lives that we know need to change. It is, however, to say that if we aren’t careful, we’ll get so caught up in what we don’t have that we’ll devalue what we do have in the process. We’ll stop noticing it altogether.

At the end of his post, Hyatt encouraged us to “press the pause button” to take some time to make a list of 20 items we’re thankful for. So in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’ll share my list (which is in no particular order). And I encourage you to make one of your own.

Thank you, God…

1. for the death and resurrection of Jesus
2. for the Internet
3. for my parents
4. for my job
5. for Your sovereignty
6. for pepper jack cheese
7. for cheese in general
8. for relationships that are authentic and are not superficial
9. for pillows and blankets
10. for epiphanies
11. that miracles aren’t obsolete
12. for growth experiences
13. that growing pains are both temporary and worth it
14. for putting people in my life who are sane in a crazy world
15. for dark chocolate
16. for carrying me through this semester (and that it’s over in a week and a day)
17. for the sound that waves make at the beach
19. for the night sky (mostly stars)
20. for how much we humans are worth solely because we exist