Is there really anything to be thankful for?

The turkey is a little slimmer this year. The trimmings are a little leaner. Thanks to trillions of dollars lost in market equity, rising unemployment and record drops in home prices, the times are signficantly tougher. The economic slump really sees no end, despite the claim of a “summer of recovery. ” It’s  been a fall, and probably a winter and beyond of continued doldrums.

If you are without a job, your pain and frustration is even more evident. 

On top of that, our faith is definitely “on the outs” in society, attacked by the elite, mocked by atheists and ignored by an entire generation, post Christianity might be our best descriptor. Things haven’t looked this bleak for a lifetime for most.

Personally, this has been a year of loss, of sadness, of trying to find my way again. 

So what’s there to be thankful for?

Leave it to the Bible to find a reason. Colossians 2:7 says, “Be strengthened in the faith and overflowing with thankfulness.”


To be honest, the last time I can say I was “overflowing with thankfulness” was when I found a $20 in a coat pocket. The term “giddy” is actually more accurate, as I had money for lunch and a couple of gallons of gas.


How can I be overflowing?


Rocky Mountain Elk, David Rupert

No sooner do I throw down the gauntlet, challenging the blessings of an Almighty God, does he retort with divine speed. An elderly woman flashes me a smile, a God-inspired joy that breaks through her tired body. A bird perches on my back porch, singing heavenly praises. A friend reminds me that love can be found again. A phone call from a grown child, confirming his place in the world even though I thought he was lost. A cow elk, feeds in the bushes in the nearby valley.

Overflowing thankfulness often comes from the unexpected – the surprises.

I just need to take a look around. It’s everywhere! 


How about you? What is in your life RIGHT NOW that causes your thankfulness to overflow?

Comment here.


Bonnie Gray at Faith Barista has been leading a blog series. Check her site for more links to posts on thankfulness.