In case you did not remember, Thanksgiving happens between Halloween and Christmas. If you based your calendar each year around the way stores are decorated, you might have forgotten about Thanksgiving. Our culture certainly throws it in like they have all forgotten. It seems like when we get into November, we begin buying Christmas presents and decorating our homes. The pesky fourth Thursday of the month rolls around and we all collectively scream, “Oh yea! I guess we need to get together, eat a lot, and watch football.”

A day meant to remind us to be thankful has been squeezed between loud parties and presents under the tree.

A day where we should be celebrating all the amazing moments of our year has become another argument in our kitchens on how long the turkey should be cooked.

I want the culture to change.
I cannot do it by myself.

In the book of Luke, chapter 17, there is story of Jesus healing ten lepers. These lepers were standing outside the city because their disease made them unclean and unfit to enter. They yelled at Jesus as He was entering to have mercy on them, probably having heard of who Jesus was and of what He was capable of. Jesus told them to go to the priests and show themselves; as they went they were made clean.

Wow. What a miracle. Ten lepers cleansed.
Of those ten, only one returned to Jesus to say thank you.

Only one.

It is somewhat comforting to hear this story and know the culture of lacking gratitude has existed for over 2,000 years. It is mostly heartbreaking.

There is so much to be grateful for, yet daily we, I, take it for granted.

Jesus is working small and big miracles in my life and I often forget to go back and say thank you. Most of my prayer time is focused on the requests and petitions I have for what’s coming next, and so little of my prayer time on being grateful for all He has already done.

It is no wonder when the fourth Thursday in November comes around each year, I do not even know where to begin. Thankfulness is a craft that needs to be honed, a craft I have not tried very hard to be better at. It starts with daily gratitude in the little things. It starts with me remembering to go back and say thank you.

Therefore, starting now at the end of 2016, I am going to begin each prayer with gratitude. I know some days I will forget. I also know when I remember to give thanks in all circumstances, each day will feel a little easier to handle. Giving thanks is not just a good idea, but something Jesus commanded as He spoke throughout scripture.

Thanksgiving: a day to give thanks. Let us make the next year one of giving thanks.