give Thanks.

Its not a song and its not an excuse, neither felt quite right in light of the coming holiday.  Well, I suppose there is a hymn named "Give Thanks" and it is ridiculously catchy (in the sense that it gets stuck in your head and never leaves).  However, I thought it would be fitting to actually give thanks this week.  So often we get bogged down with the things we don't have, with the things we want, with complaints about this thing or that thing that we forget to be thankful for what we actually have.  As G.K. Chesterton said, “There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more, the other is to desire less.”  This week as we head into Thanksgiving and making the big meals and spending time with family (whether we want to or not, haha!), let us be thankful for what we have and hopefully learn to desire less.  Let us rejoice for the blessings that God has already showered us with.  Not sure what to be thankful for?  I'll share with you a few of the many things I've been thinking about lately, things that I'm truly thankful for and hopefully it will inspire you to praise the God who gives us all good things.

God.  As if it needs to be said, I couldn't be more thankful (well, I probably could) for the blessing of knowing and loving God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  My life wouldn't be the same without them.
Mary.  She is the perfect mother (don't get me wrong, my earthly mother is a wonderful and inspiring woman as well), the one who is constantly talking to her Son on my behalf.  She is there for me and she guides my life.  She is the quintessential woman, the woman I am always striving to be like.
Faith.  The first two would mean nothing without this gift.  The ability, the grace to believe even when the world shouts that such beliefs are nothing more than foolishness is a gift more wonderous than words.
Forgiveness.  Yes, confession is a lovely and beautiful thing and I am eternally grateful for a Sacrament that allows me to hear that I am truly forgiven for my sins.  But I'm also grateful for the forgiveness that I can offer to others and that they can offer to me for the times I've been less than perfect.  Forgiveness is a grace without end.
A loving family.  Even when they drive me crazy I'm thankful for them because they always support me and love me.  No matter what.
Love.  It comes in so many forms, the love I have for God, the love I have for my family, for my friends and for the extra special people God has blessed me with...I'm eternally grateful to be able to love freely and be loved.  It warms my heart.
Music.  Especially lately I've been moved by so many artists and songs that I can't help but be thankful for music, for the ways that it speaks to my heart and allows me to express emotions that I often can't find words for.  Music calms my soul.
Prayers.  I'm thankful that I can pray to God and for the saints' intercession - their gifts and signs to me over the years have led me to where I am today and I can honestly say that I've never been happier than I am on this Thanksgiving.  I'm thankful that I can pray for others and that others pray for me...its a mysterious thing, prayer is, and I don't think we'll ever understand its power until we get to Heaven, but it is a wonder to see prayers working for the good of others, it keeps us humble.

I could go on...but I think I'll let Scripture finish out the story of our thankfulness:

"Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;

make known among the peoples his deeds" - 1 Chronicles 16:8

"Sing praise to the LORD, you faithful;

give thanks to his holy memory." - Psalm 30:5

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him, bless his name" - Psalm 100:4

"Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you..." - Matthew 26:27

"But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" - 1 Corinthians 15:57

"Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God" - 2 Corinthians 4:15