Soul | Why are we thankful?

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Today, my family gathered together to enjoy the bountiful meal my mother had prepared for us. It’s Thanksgiving, and there’s no better time to be with the ones you love, eating lots of really good food. But, sometimes in the midst of all the cooking and activity of preparing for this holiday, I find myself forgetting what exactly we are celebrating. Oh, of course I know it’s a reminder to be thankful for the good things in our life, but what’s the deeper reason behind our thankfulness?

Looking back, the first Thanksgiving was held by the Pilgrims as an expression of gratitude for God’s faithful provision of food and shelter. They had endured a harsh struggle, and were now blessed with a plentiful harvest. President Lincoln would ensure that we kept this tradition by proclaiming a yearly observance which forever marked it on our calendars. When you think about it, the year 1863 – in the middle of the Civil War – seems like a surprising time for our nation to pause and give thanks. The cruel presence of war had touched every household…but the hope of our nation was to restore unity. By offering thanks for what we’d been given, our nation was reminded of how truly blessed it was.

So this is the conclusion I’ve come to. It’s pretty incredible to consider being grateful when you’re in the middle of hardship. But, that is exactly how this holiday started. More than just turkey and stuffing, or small blessings we’ve been counting, it’s a profound reminder of how the Lord has provided a means to sustain us in the midst of our need. No matter how life looks at the moment, on this day we can pause and give thanks, knowing that God in His goodness is caring for us. That is why we can give thanks at all times, in every circumstance we find ourselves facing.

As I gather around the table with the four people I love most in this world, I want to be reminded of the Lord’s provision in my life. When I need Him most, He is always faithful to sustain me. And for this, I am truly thankful.

. . . . . . . .

I hope you all enjoyed a very blessed Thanksgiving!

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise!
Give thanks to Him; bless His name! For the Lord is good;
His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.”

(Psalm 100:4-5)

Body | Catching up on Zzzz's...

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Lately, I’ve been finding myself daydreaming about how beautiful sleep is. My waking thoughts are filled with visions of my head sinking down onto the pillow, being wrapped up in warm blankets, and the softness of steady, slow, breathing…

All this makes me wonder, why is it that I put off going to bed, when even the mere idea of sleep is so inviting?

Throughout the day, I will often think about how tired I am, only to find that when night rolls around I continue to procrastinate about turning off the lights. True, my life can get pretty busy. Being enrolled in college has introduced me to both late-night study sessions, and hanging out with friends until the wee hours. Of course, I wake up in the morning and feel the effects of my choice to stay up past 12:00am, but wasn’t it worth it? After all, think of all the things I’d be missing out on! It seems to me, we’ve bought into the phrase, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man who doesn’t socialize.” (and yes, I did just make that up…)

The truth is my reasons for staying up late tend to revolve around the fact that I don’t accomplish the things I want to during the daylight hours. Here’s how a typical day goes:

• Wake up later than I wanted to; scramble to get ready for the day.
• Make half-hearted attempts at being productive, until I eventually crash during the afternoon
• Realize I really should have gotten something done, and then using my second, smaller-burst of energy, try to make the most of the few hours left in the day.
• Finally, close my eyes to catch a few hours of slumber, before I have to begin again tomorrow…

See a pattern forming here?

My disappointment in how the day went only serves to perpetuate my late night habits. The result is that I wake up almost more tired than the day before, and I allow myself to daydream away the time I have. 

Sleep isn’t just to give our bodies a break, or interrupt our busy schedules. It’s a time for our minds to renew and process the events of the day. It allows our bodies to heal, rejuvenate, ward off illness by boosting our immune system, and increase our energy for what’s up ahead.

A time of rest helps to shift things back in perspective. It’s amazing how much clarity is gained when we sleep on our worries, rather than allow them to consume us. There’s a lot to be said for ending a day, and starting fresh in the morning. Your outlook improves, and that feeling of disappointment and discouragement is no longer the first thing on your mind.  

My friends who have been telling me to get some sleep (see, I was listening…sort of) will be pleased to know that I am now going to purpose to go to bed by 10:30pm and wake up at 6:00am. This will give me about 7 ½ hrs. sleep every night, and plenty of time to get things done during the day. Just like I thought in my daydreams, sleep is a beautiful thing. The only thing that might possibly be better will be waking up from my rest filled with life, energy, and anticipation for the day ahead.

 “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;

for He gives to His beloved sleep.”

(Psalm 127:2)