Thanks for Nothing!

    Praise be to you, O LORD,

 God of our father Israel, 

       from everlasting to everlasting.

       Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power 

       and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, 

       for everything in heaven and earth is yours. 

      Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; 

      you are exalted as head over all.

       Wealth and honor come from you; 

       you are the ruler of all things. 

       In your hands are strength and power 

       to exalt and give strength to all.

      Now, our God, we give you thanks, 

     and praise your glorious name.

    1 Chronicles 29: 10-1

As part of our celebration of Lent, Michala and I decided to resist feeling ungrateful by taking inventory of the wonderful things in our lives (see above photo for the preliminary results). We soon found ourselves overwhelmed at the blessings that surround us.  With the grind of everyday life, it is so easy to forget that the very air we breathe is blessed, a miracle of grace.  Each snowflake, baby giggle, banjo string, and cherry is a wondrous gift from above.  The desire to grow discontent tempts us everyday, defaming the mundane, blaspheming the holiness of a hug.  May we as a people immersed in Grace see the winks of our Creator and Friend in every corner.  May we bless Him for the abundance of goodness that passes through our lungs every second.  May we not look at our next meal, job, lesson, moment and say "thanks for nothing!"  But may we look into the depths of our hearts and know that despite everything, we are loved with a love we will never understand and shout with a large breath of grace, "Thanks God!"