You made me think...Thank You
All of this talk about being thankful is so nice, especially since it coincides with the time of year where our kids are asking for THINGS. Their lists are on the refrigerator now, although this year, instead of calling it a Christmas List, they have opted for "Wish List," which I feel has a nicer ring to it.
There are so many THINGS that we want as humans, houses, cars, "bags," big-screen TVs...the lists are endless.
My husband always wants MORE at work, more responsibility, more to do, more title, more more more. We always talk about how he can learn more, be better and advance to the next level and I understand his constant desire to want MORE for his life and his family. It is me that has to constantly remind him that although I am glad that he is driven, he has a great job, makes great money and we should be glad at this time that we have a job.
And then I went out to dinner....
I met out some newish friends for dinner. As we talked I learned that one of their husbands had been out of work for TWO years! She then continued to tell me about how she had a leak in her kitchen and how it started this mold problem and how they had to have their entire kitchen demolished because this mold could have killed the entire family, all of this happening with NO JOB! I sat their with my mouth open envisioning Jim, me and the kids all living in our 7 man tent with sleeping bags! The next woman talked about how their money was tight and the other woman's husband is in the service and how it is tough with this and that....
As I slid my $400 Coach purse under the table and flipped my diamond ring around to the back side of my hand, I started feeling really tight that I ordered 2 glasses of wine, an appetizer and a dinner...how gauche of me. For the love of God, please don't ask me what Jim does for a living, I am embarrassed that he has a job right now. I am embarrassed that I don't have some awful story to tell. Kill me, I should be more sensitive...
Thank you God for letting Jim have a job. Thank you God for allowing us to have a house and food and a car and such an amazing life. Thank you for letting us have our life and health insurance and not have to ask our families for financial help...thank you, thank you, thank you....and I really mean it.
The other day when I was leaving the mom's club that I am a part of, I saw a dad standing at the pantry in the church where we hold mom's club. He was standing there with one of the workers from the church. He and she were smiling and he was peering into the closet picking out food for him. My heart broke, my mind raced and I just couldn't believe that I was looking at this poor dad, that had to come to this church to ask for food because he couldn't afford it. As I walked to the parking lot, it reminded me that I am fortunate because my cupboards are full, my refrigerator is stocked and I don't even look at prices when I shop for food, I just get it. How mindless of me....
Last week when I was meeting with some friends we asked one of the girls why she didn't show up for playgroup. She said that since we met at a play place that cost money, she decided not to come, "she just didn't have the money." I felt sick. I remembered when I was a single mom in Ohio and it was Bunko night. It was $10 to play and I had to pay for a sitter, and many times it killed me to put together that money. How thoughtless of me to just assume that everyone has the money for a play place, How mindless of me....
These events, though small, are subtle reminders that every one's pantry isn't full this Thanksgiving. That everyone can't go to a play place because $10 is still a lot of money and that Jim's job is one in a million. It reminds me that every bite of food that I eat is a blessing and every experience I get to enjoy is special to my life.
I don't take things for granted, but I admit, I do get caught up in forgetting how ungodly fortunate we are. I forget that my husband ISN'T in Afghanistan, but is home with his family. I forget that not everyone gets to go to Flyers games and drive a car with a TV in it. How mindless of me....
So for this Thanksgiving season, I am already thankful, that is not the problem. This Thanksgiving I am not going to be mindless. I am not going to forget about all the people that are struggling right now. I am not going to forget about all of the families that are having a hard time feeding their kids today and about all of the families that don't have heat or a car or a home. I am going to be mindful of all of the mom's that can't meet at playgroup and all the dad's peering into church pantries looking for a helping hand.
So this Thanksgiving, don't just be thankful, be mindful. Think about all of the people that can't make wish lists because they know it is a waste of time. Think about all of the people that won't have dad or mom at the dinner table because they are at war across the world. Think about all of the people who feel as though their world will never improve because of a layoff or a foreclosure.
Tomorrow I am not only going to be thankful, I will be mindful, and that will be my Thankgiving grace.
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There are so many THINGS that we want as humans, houses, cars, "bags," big-screen TVs...the lists are endless.
My husband always wants MORE at work, more responsibility, more to do, more title, more more more. We always talk about how he can learn more, be better and advance to the next level and I understand his constant desire to want MORE for his life and his family. It is me that has to constantly remind him that although I am glad that he is driven, he has a great job, makes great money and we should be glad at this time that we have a job.
And then I went out to dinner....
I met out some newish friends for dinner. As we talked I learned that one of their husbands had been out of work for TWO years! She then continued to tell me about how she had a leak in her kitchen and how it started this mold problem and how they had to have their entire kitchen demolished because this mold could have killed the entire family, all of this happening with NO JOB! I sat their with my mouth open envisioning Jim, me and the kids all living in our 7 man tent with sleeping bags! The next woman talked about how their money was tight and the other woman's husband is in the service and how it is tough with this and that....
As I slid my $400 Coach purse under the table and flipped my diamond ring around to the back side of my hand, I started feeling really tight that I ordered 2 glasses of wine, an appetizer and a dinner...how gauche of me. For the love of God, please don't ask me what Jim does for a living, I am embarrassed that he has a job right now. I am embarrassed that I don't have some awful story to tell. Kill me, I should be more sensitive...
Thank you God for letting Jim have a job. Thank you God for allowing us to have a house and food and a car and such an amazing life. Thank you for letting us have our life and health insurance and not have to ask our families for financial help...thank you, thank you, thank you....and I really mean it.
The other day when I was leaving the mom's club that I am a part of, I saw a dad standing at the pantry in the church where we hold mom's club. He was standing there with one of the workers from the church. He and she were smiling and he was peering into the closet picking out food for him. My heart broke, my mind raced and I just couldn't believe that I was looking at this poor dad, that had to come to this church to ask for food because he couldn't afford it. As I walked to the parking lot, it reminded me that I am fortunate because my cupboards are full, my refrigerator is stocked and I don't even look at prices when I shop for food, I just get it. How mindless of me....
Last week when I was meeting with some friends we asked one of the girls why she didn't show up for playgroup. She said that since we met at a play place that cost money, she decided not to come, "she just didn't have the money." I felt sick. I remembered when I was a single mom in Ohio and it was Bunko night. It was $10 to play and I had to pay for a sitter, and many times it killed me to put together that money. How thoughtless of me to just assume that everyone has the money for a play place, How mindless of me....
These events, though small, are subtle reminders that every one's pantry isn't full this Thanksgiving. That everyone can't go to a play place because $10 is still a lot of money and that Jim's job is one in a million. It reminds me that every bite of food that I eat is a blessing and every experience I get to enjoy is special to my life.
I don't take things for granted, but I admit, I do get caught up in forgetting how ungodly fortunate we are. I forget that my husband ISN'T in Afghanistan, but is home with his family. I forget that not everyone gets to go to Flyers games and drive a car with a TV in it. How mindless of me....
So for this Thanksgiving season, I am already thankful, that is not the problem. This Thanksgiving I am not going to be mindless. I am not going to forget about all the people that are struggling right now. I am not going to forget about all of the families that are having a hard time feeding their kids today and about all of the families that don't have heat or a car or a home. I am going to be mindful of all of the mom's that can't meet at playgroup and all the dad's peering into church pantries looking for a helping hand.
So this Thanksgiving, don't just be thankful, be mindful. Think about all of the people that can't make wish lists because they know it is a waste of time. Think about all of the people that won't have dad or mom at the dinner table because they are at war across the world. Think about all of the people who feel as though their world will never improve because of a layoff or a foreclosure.
Tomorrow I am not only going to be thankful, I will be mindful, and that will be my Thankgiving grace.
Like what you read today? Post it to your Facebook page so everyone can read it! Click below to share!
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