Retrospective Lily

ThanksLIVING goes against both our nature and our society. In plain ol’ country talk, it’s bass-ackwards!

Lately in Sunday School, we’ve been working through the most crucial stories of Genesis – Creation, Adam & Eve, Cain & Abel, Noah’s Ark, etc. According to the Bible, these accounts lay the foundations of humanity.

Their themes reflect emotions and actions that will always be relevant to the human experience: Loneliness. Rebellion. Refusal to accept accountability. The sting of rejection. The drive for revenge. Rash decision making. Pride.

Admirable qualities are also contained in the stories: Bearing the image of God, our goodness. Companionship. Ambition. Faith. Loyalty. Willingness to serve.

In several of those early Genesis accounts, people’s greed or lack of contentment leads them to make poor choices. They weren’t practicing ThanksLIVING.

So basically, our urge to complain and focus on what we lack is just part of our nature at our core.

Orrr…does society play a major role, too? (Reminds me of the “nature vs. nurture” argument)

Our whole way of life in the western world is rabid, impulsive, constant consumption. The economy would crash if we weren’t addicted to shopping.

Then, of course, there’s social media and all the comparison and lusting for things we don’t need that comes with it.

Ultimately, I think it’s fair to say that ThanksLIVING doesn’t come naturally, nor is it encouraged by the internet or our money-driven world.

The choice to have an attitude of gratitude is counterintuitive AND countercultural.

I want to lead a life characterized by ThanksLIVING.

Could things be better? Sure. But could they be worse? Absolutely. Most of us take for granted the things we have, the things we can do, and the people in our lives. We’d be heartbroken if we lost a loved one or an ability, yet we often forget to cherish things – until they’re gone.

Won’t you join me in ThanksLIVING? Let’s be rebels together.

I’m not waiting for my blessings to slip away before I recognize their value. Instead, I strive to live intentionally and with mindfulness, fully recognizing and appreciating all that God has done for me.