Wow!
It's Thanksgiving and you are probably realizing all over again that timeless truth; you can't choose your family. Yep, awesome huh, I know. You can choose your occupation, your house, what city you live in, you can even choose your friends, but you are stuck with whatever God gives you for family. Your crazy old Aunt Vivian who always gives you the slobbery toothless kiss on your cheek and then asks if you want some of her famous potato salad (special ingredient: cat hair). Nothing you can do about it, except wait until she turns her head and quickly wipe the gooey residue off of your soiled cheek with your green and red handmade Christmas sweater from Uncle Jim's fourth wife Nadine.
You lean over to your wife and groan, "how much longer do we have to endure?" She elbows you in the ribs and smiles at Aunt Vivian, "He would love some of your delicious potato salad, he always says it's his favorite." Your eyes bug and you stare daggers at your wife as she makes sure you get a healthy helping of the cat hair specialty all the while suppressing a giggle and winking your way. A wave of temptation sweeps over you to call your attorney friend Roger and start the divorce proceedings, but you restrain yourself and timidly take a bite as Aunt Vivian leans closer and invades your personal space insuring that you choke down every last morsel. Thank God for family.
Ah, Thanksgiving, what a happy time. I sit down to reflect on my blessings. I have a pretty great life; in fact, I could even say I'm content. Until the advertising starts and I realize that I don't drive a cobalt blue Infiniti G37 Coupe starting at only 35,999 (can't we just say 36,000, c'mon people). Somehow I'm less of a man because I don't look cool in the latest maroon cashmere Banana Republic sweater because I can't afford a membership at LA Fitness nor do I have the fortitude and discipline to actually go exercise and the guy on the screen tells me that I am not a real man until I watch the NFL on a 782 inch top of the line HD socloseyoucanseetheirnosehairs widescreen NASA Sony digital TV. (take a breath)
That's when my daughter crawls up in my lap and shows me the turkey picture that she just drew for me. Honestly, it's better than any Picasso I've ever seen. With that one crudely drawn picture, that holds a close resemblance to a seriously challenged turkey, reality comes sweeping back and I understand that I'm the luckiest man alive. I'm blessed to have two sweet daughters and a beautiful sweet wife and the greatest life that you could imagine.
This year, I want God to know how thankful I am. I want to truly lead and live a thankful existence. There are people all over the world who live on less than $1 per month and I gripe about gas prices. Sure I want them to go down, but I don't want to allow the current state of the world and the economy to steal that joy that God has given me.
I want to live with 1 Peter 1:4-6 (NLT) in the forefront of my mind. It says, "and we have a priceless inheritance-an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while."
I am blessed even now and one day soon, when I reach my final destination, the blessings will be infinite. I don't want to live so close to reality that I forget my eternity. Today live thankful, love faithful and let God change your perspective.
In God's Grip,
jeremy foster
www.jeremyfoster.org
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