November is the month, in the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving, a day set aside to be thankful. When I was a child we learned about the Pilgrims celebrating with the Indians and thanking God for surviving and having enough to eat for the winter. The schools still teach about the Indians and Pilgrims part but mostly leave God out of the picture; which to me is sad, to rewrite history because the attitude has changed. I have learned that gratitude exists whether a person believes in God or not. I learned also that gratitude is a way of looking at the world. I like Einstein's quote, "There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle. Albert Einstein
I also learned that thankfulness is essential to accepting a gift. The feeling of taking things for granted stems from not being thankful. I also learned that gratitude and thankfulness is essentially part of who I am. I don't just feel gratitude in November. I learned by Betsie ten Boom to not only be thankful for the good things in my life but to also be thankful for the challenges in my life. Betsie asked her sister Corrie to remember to thank God for the fleas in there barracks at the concentration camp.
I found the excerpt shared on line at http://www.broadcaster.org.uk/section2/transcript/hidingplace.html
"'Here! And here another one!' I wailed. 'Betsie, how can we live in such a place!'
"'Show us. Show us how.' It was said so matter of factly it took me a second to realize she was praying. More and more the distinction between prayer and the rest of life seemed to be vanishing for Betsie.
"'Corrie!' she said excitedly. 'He's given us the answer! Before we asked, as He always does! In the Bible this morning. Where was it? Read that part again!'
"I glanced down the long dim aisle to make sure no guard was in sight, then drew the Bible from its pouch. 'It was in First Thessalonians,' I said. We were on our third complete reading of the New Testament since leaving Scheveningen.
"In the feeble light I turned the pages. 'Here it is: "Comfort the frightened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all...'" It seemed written expressly to Ravensbruck.
"'Go on,' said Betsie. 'That wasn't all.'
"'Oh yes:'..."Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.'"
"'That's it, Corrie! That's His answer. "Give thanks in all circumstances!" That's what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!' I stared at her; then around me at the dark, foul-aired room.
"'Such as?' I said.
"'Such as being assigned here together.'
"I bit my lip. 'Oh yes, Lord Jesus!'
"'Such as what you're holding in your hands.' I looked down at the Bible.
"'Yes! Thank You, dear Lord, that there was no inspection when we entered here! Thank You for all these women, here in this room, who will meet You in these pages.'
"'Yes,' said Betsie, 'Thank You for the very crowding here. Since we're packed so close, that many more will hear!' She looked at me expectantly. 'Corrie!' she prodded.
"'Oh, all right. Thank You for the jammed, crammed, stuffed, packed suffocating crowds.'
"'Thank You,' Betsie went on serenely, 'for the fleas and for--'
"The fleas! This was too much. 'Betsie, there's no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.'
"'Give thanks in all circumstances,' she quoted. It doesn't say, 'in pleasant circumstances.' Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.
Betsie taught me to be thankful for all gifts and experiences including the ones I am not to excited about receiving. Learning I had cancer was devastating 12 years ago. Now, I recognize the many wonderful things I learned and ways God has blessed me because of that experience. I learned that others were interested in me. I learned that there are professionals that I could trust. I learned that there are some things that are just too big for me to handle alone. I learned that I could reach out to others and ask for and receive help. Some years, I do the daily list a blessing through November. The interesting thing I discovered, the more blessings and things I listed that I am thankful for the more I saw blessings in my life. Looking for and developing my attitude of gratitude enriches my life on a daily basis.
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