What Does Thankful Look Like?

 

The sky is streaked with windswept brushstrokes in a monotone grey. The air is calm, but above our heads the chilly air moves with speed. My body feels the cold, and I am thankful for the sweater that warms my arms. I look around and appreciate how the greyish, subdued morning light awakens different scenes of the day. The leaves on the trees have a muted, autumnal hue. The reflection on the lake is like glass, revealing another world on the other side of the water's surface in my imagination.

A few days later, an opposite scene greets me with a blue-hued sky reflecting in a blue tinted lake. Not one wisp of cloud dots the perfectly smooth sky. The air feels warmer. A slight breeze dances over the lake water and the green leaves are vibrant.

Both days I was filled with a thankful heart. Much as I prefer the grey scale sky because it is more interesting to me, I look at each day and appreciate what it is giving me. It is a gift I can choose to enjoy. It is not about circumstance - it's a posture of the heart. No matter what the day looks like I can choose to let thankfulness blanket my soul. 

Both/And not Either/Or

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 we are reminded to - 

... give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

These photos were taken just a few days apart on my way to work. I am blessed to have this view every single day. Something I love is how it looks different every morning. Whether by the light cast down from the sky, by the wind chopping up some waves, by the wildlife (swans, geese, ducks, pelicans), and by the activity of people who are walking or taking some quiet time. 

As we celebrate a time of Thanksgiving in our American culture, it might be different from recent years. Families might be scattered, travel might look different, it might be quieter than usual. But our lives are different so we are still dealing with what that looks like. My hope is that we will all be able to be thankful in all circumstances, even amidst the strangeness, because I believe that is the way to see the goodness of God in every day and to foster a thankful heart.