The other night my family attended the Scottish Caledonian Ball. Although my family cleaned up well for the occasion, I still felt a bit like Cinderella as we rubbed shoulders with dignitaries, and people out of my league. Also, because we rushed out of the party before the clock struck midnight avoiding our kids turning into pumpkins.
Our friends raised funds for Light Into Europe, a charity assisting the vision-impaired, and the deaf in Romania.
As we got to know better the community they serve, I observed how much these vision-impaired friends loved life, enjoyed traveling, and mastered various fields of expertise.
If anyone has reasons to lament, my new friends do. Instead, they inspire those around to host the attitude of gratitude … and not only around the Thanksgiving season.
Today I want to remind myself that thanksgiving is the other side of the “woe is me” coin.
Lord, I lament when my kids defy me. But I lose sight that those two bundles of mischievous noise are the answer to a ten- year prayer “Let me be a mom!” I cried out just as passionately as Hannah at the temple doors. You answered. I confess, I grumbled. And I’m sorry.
Thank you for my children in the process of healing from trauma.
Lord, I lament when my body is less reliable. Yet, you faithfully show up in those moments of weakness, making up for my lack of strength.
Thank you for teaching me to rely on you, when I can’t rely on myself.
Lord, I lament when you choose to not remove ‘the thorn in my flesh’. We all have those. Seasonal, or permanent. I prayed. I prayed. I prayed again. Possibly more than the apostle Paul himself.
And when I searched for godly counsel, they asked “Does this bring you closer to Jesus?” I whispered “Yes.” At that the counselor just said “Why try to get rid of it then?”.
In my heart, I stormed out of the conversation. Angered. Hurt. Unhelped.
Those words got a hold of my stubborn heart years later, when my mind agreed to relent and accept that “thy grace is sufficient” and that it was truly the Lord’s way to keep me close, and closer to Him.
Thank you for enabling me to embrace my thorn. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Lord, I lament when I see an unjust world slow the process of adoption. As our papers collect dust in government offices, in courthouses, in places we hold high human justice. It frustrates me.
Yet, you went through so much more in your process of adopting us. I’ll never catch up to that kind of love.
Although there’s plenty a reason to lament, enable us, Lord, to endorse a grateful heart for all these blessings in disguise … because, thanksgiving is the other side of the “woe is me” coin.
As we fumble through painful circumstances, may we boldly declare with the psalmist “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” Psalm 28:7