I’m guessing if you stopped by to read this, you may be in the midst of holiday preparations. You may be packing to head out of town to see family or friends. You may be cleaning and cooking to host your own festivities. You may be stirring with that anticipation of seeing people you may not like very much, or people you love so dearly your eyes well in tears just thinking about hugging them.
You are probably being intentional about your gratitude, as Thanksgiving calls us to do just that. I have been counting all the incredible gifts of provision and people in my life, as I know this is the time to soak it all in and marinate my heart in all those things I cherish. I’m constantly reminded to be thankful on social media and I’ve read a variety of powerful posts inspiring me to open my eyes and embrace the ‘attitude of gratitude’.
Got it.
So here’s a little twist on it all…
Let’s challenge ourselves to travel even farther on this gratitude train. Let’s steer it into some tunnels, up some mountains and through some valleys. Lets ride it through…
Dig even deeper. Stretch even wider. Pull from the past and reflect on long forgotten moments, faded milestones, or perhaps those life circumstances that were excruciating or exhilarating. You’re looking for the hidden treasures in your life, that maybe you missed.
I’ve been accidentally doing this.
I had a memory rise in my mind that led me to journey through a very difficult time in my life. What came from that reflection was a piece of the experience I NEVER ever considered before. I was brought to tears with this new revelation about someone who played a significant role in this life changing scene. Stepping into this pivotal memory maze and unpacking it in my thoughts led to a new door I had never opened before. I see now- how gracious someone was to me. Tearful gratitude swelled inside as this new perspective awakened a piece of my past that had been asleep for over 30 years. I didn’t see it then. I see it now.
The years have cleared that blurry haze of battered brokenness and tore down the barriers that shadowed this light.
My heart cracked open and let it in. And it continues to radiate with this new glow of gratitude I would have never found had I not searched through my mess of memories to discover it.
Wow.
As much as I am thankful for the everyday blessings, the big life celebrations and the love and provision I can hold in my hands right this minute…
I have discovered a more profound layer of thanksgiving that takes work to find and may be risky to excavate from the depths of who we are. Are you willing to do the same? Perhaps pick a part of your past to reflect on, unpack, peel back and start digging…
There may be riches buried in your own life that need uncovering. Jewels of provision, gems of grace that if you stare deep into the timeline and story line of your life, you may be profoundly surprised to see a new door swing open in your own memory maze.
Let’s find those treasures hidden too deep to simply grab within our reach. These gifts live beyond the easily picked pieces in our immediate landscape. They reside in the deep heap of life.
I believe we all have beacons of light flickering faintly under the rubble of our lives that we haven’t yet found. If we dare go back and pick through the pieces and uncover the parts-
We just might be profoundly surprised at what we find.
I know I was.
XOXO to you, Chris!
I am actually writing something similar tonight – about these jewels and these quests.
Very thankful for you!
And I’m thankful for YOU, my friend. I love our friendship. 🙂
Aw, very beautifully said and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Chris!!! 😉 xoxo
Thank you so much Janine!!! HUGS!!!
Hi Chris! And in the quiet, you will find them. Maybe this is what God is calling you to? But you are so right to say that we can all go deeper. To find where God was in our lives is to see the transformation point, the place where we were called to change, to be blessed, to bless others.
Best of blessings as you clear your soul to find the bright pieces…the light of Christ and the Spirit. They are burning bright in you my friend. Can’t wait to see how you use the new-found grace.
See you in 2016!
Ceil
Thank you so much for your thoughtful response, my friend. I’m *almost* ready for my break. As it would happen, things have come up that have kept me from it as of yet… but it’s coming SOON. And oh I can’t wait. God IS calling me to be still and quiet and find deeper peace this season. I will answer His Call. <3
I pray you feel abundantly blessed this Christmas, my dear friend. YOU are a blessing to me.
Yes, yes yes Chris! I love this.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones. What a beautiful tradition.
Take care and stay safe.
Thank you SO much Marie!! God bless you, my friend. <3
I actually read this after Thanksgiving (but still sending you warm wishes). The family is all out – looking for the tree, as I stay home and drink coffee and try to plot the next crazy couple of weeks. All of which I’m extremely grateful for!
I hope you had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving, my friend!! And I wish you the very best holiday season!! Hang in there through the ‘crazy’! I love that you are so grateful for it all. 🙂
**I believe we all have beacons of light flickering faintly under the rubble of our lives that we haven’t yet found.**
you. are. beautiful.
xxx Love from MN.
I thought of you when I was writing this, love. I really did.
YOU. are. beautiful.
Well I was painting my living room and trim in my hallways because it is not a holiday here in Canada – ha.
but I was preparing for the Christmas holidays so maybe it counts still. But I totally get this because I was thinking along the exact same lines — there is something about the rhythm of a paint brush on the walls that lends itself to deep thinking perhaps, but anyway – this has been a crazy busy week of the painting and planning the Christmas Children’s Church production where I found out 2 days prior that in fact NO – there are no costumes for the children you will have to make them!! – and then also decorating the Girl Guide float for the Santa Claus parade that is the SAME EXACT DAY and no my head did not explode at this point. Because… my year of daily gratitude has finally , FINALLY got me to the place where I could see past all that BUSY and look forward to the event itself. To finally be present, even though the tasks were plenty and some hard, and just know in my knower that it was all working together towards something Good. And oh dear God I know He shook His head at me for years waiting for me to stop being an impatient Taurus and get to this good place. But all I can say is YES to all of this. And it’s a good place isn’t it?
Leslie, I love you. And I’m SO glad you have finally arrived in *that* place! It truly is a good place to be, my friend!! 🙂 I bet your living room and hallways look AWESOME.
Beautiful. Even though it’s not Thanksgiving here in Canada, it’s beautiful every day:)
Thank you so much Leah. This kind of deep gratitude IS beautiful every day. I’m so glad you came by to read this. 🙂
Especially for memories that come up and have negative connotations, to find a way to reframe it, try a different approach or even to overcome it in a way is absolutely essential. I’ve learned new paths through a meditation service I’ve attended, and it’s amazing to me how a new path can appear where before nothing stood.
You must have an awareness and spirituality to find these paths – and you my friend have both.
It is really incredible to look back and have an entirely new view on things, isn’t it? I’m so grateful you came by to share your insight and perspective my friend. I believe YOU have both of those characteristics too. 🙂
What a nice way to talk about gratitude. I find every day gratitude relatively easy – something nice happens every day – but I aim for lifelong gratitude: noticing the trends and patterns that made me who I am, and seeing them under a positive light. Thank you! 🙂
Yes Julie, those patterns and trends and happenings in our life are often our greatest blessings! Thank you so much for coming by to share in this with me. 🙂