Today is Thanksgiving and Facebook is all-alight with
statements of gratitude and platitudes of thanks. Now I happen to think the
group of people that are on my friends list are pretty aware and enlightened
(like me, right?). I know that these good people are thankful for friends,
family, and blessings more than this one day a year. I wonder, though, if like
me, they get complacent sometimes. All these messages gave me pause to
consider, for what am I most thankful?
It is easy to get bogged down in the seemingly important
details of my life. With two teenage boys in the house, there is plenty to fret
about as they alternately dip their toes in, then plunge, then recoil into
adulthood. Being married 21 years is no easy task either. When I tell you that
being home all day not working is a challenge, I can see why you may not see why,
but take my word for it—it gives me a little too much time with myself and there
is plenty to worry about there.
So this morning began like any other holiday morning of
late: Jim and I slept in until 9 or so, I went for a run, the kids are still
sleeping at almost 1 and we need to leave in half an hour, and my appetizer is
getting ready to go in the oven. As I
ran this morning—sometimes waving at the other food-loving souls who were
trying to pre-empt the damage of today’s indulgences—it gave me plenty of time
to think about what I am thankful for.
One word immediately came to mind: Grace. I am most thankful
for grace. Grace from my husband, my kids, my friends, and, of course, God. You
may find this hard to believe, but I can be quite irritable and snappy. Jim, my
ever-lovin’ husband, often bears the brunt of this, since we don’t see the
teens much and I have no co-workers to help with the burden. You see,
sometimes, he annoys me.
Like when he loudly picks at his nails while we’re watching
TV…snap, snap, snap. (evil eye) Or when he asks 30 times during
the movie who that character is and what just happened (evil eye accompanied by irritated sigh) Or when he launches into
another life-lesson lecture at dinner. I think I’d better stop there.
It’s easy when I am so irritated to focus on him and what he
is or isn’t doing, but eventually what occurs to me is not what a great wife I
am to love such an annoying person (ha!), but what a great husband he is for
loving me despite my being annoyed.
What is the key to a lifelong marriage? Grace. He forgives
me. He gives me another chance. He sees past my evil eyes and petty sighs and
loves me despite my impatience and arrogance. He waits for the kind and loving
wife he knows I can be to once again resurface. He loves me for who he knows me
to be, not for who I am being in the moment. Makes me think that this grace
thing is more than just the key to a long marriage, but also the key to a
joy-filled life.
What better display of God’s love could I ask for? So today, and all days, I am thankful for
grace. And my hope and prayer is that as I continue to receive it from Jim and
others around me, I will be better at freely giving it as well. May your Thanksgiving,
and all your days, be filled with the joy of giving and receiving grace.
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