Thankful. Grateful. Blessed.
You can’t miss ’em. Cute little sweatshirts (and tees for those of us here in the South) sporting that little trio. But honestly, seeing them perched together has sent me straight to Webster’s on more than one occasion. Why? Because I don’t readily see the difference between the first two of the three. After giving it too much time, running down word-nerd rabbit holes, I issued grace to the makers of said shirts and called it a day. Well. Sort of.
It’s easy for me to distract myself with lesser things.
Reading the three words out loud, the rhythm felt right. Well-scripted with a cadence that marched right off the tongue. But again, I scratched my head. Wouldn’t the order have been more accurate if blessed had been placed first? After all, we are thankful and grateful for our blessings. Right?
Yes. We are blessed in many ways with many things. We are grateful, and we feel thankful. Hopefully, we are careful to express this gratitude to whomever is deserving. God. Family. Friends. Giving thanks for a thousand little things. (Thank you, Ann Voskamp.)
But in the middle of my musings, a light illuminated my heart; God’s Spirit shined down: give thanks to Me. Before.
Before the test results are confirmed yo be clear. Before the prodigal child comes home. Before that relationship finds restoration. Before your bank account seems sufficient. Before you understand it all.
In my wanting. In my yearning. In my needing. I must learn to give thanks for all that I long for, but have not seen to be true. Because I must trust that God has my best interest at heart.
In his book The Problem with Pain, C.S. Lewis writes this:
We are not necessarily doubting that God will do what’s best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.
Oh, friends, whether His best is hard. Or heavy. Or light. His best is always best. And for that, a whole-hearted expression of thanksgiving is due. Before. Even if … not.
This Thanksgiving, when it’s all the rage to be grateful and thankful because we have been blessed, let us do just that. Let’s be thankful out loud. With our words and our actions.
But for a joy that runs deep. For a peace that rests heavily upon us. And for a faith that explodes from within, practice giving thanks for things unseen. Unknown. Unrealized.
I guess that little tee shirt had it right after all.
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good;
1 CHRONICLES 16:34
His love endures forever.
Oh. And Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!
Angi Aymond 
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