Gratitude.

 By definition, it is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and return kindness”

By heart, it is something that can make you soar with joy, and as quickly throw you into the depths of agony.

I Thess 5:16-18 says

“Be joyful always,

Pray continually.

Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ.”

During this busy season, we encounter many things. Greed, wish lists, sales, parties, dinners and many, many more things pull us in all directions. We hear cliche’s like “Jesus is the reason for the Season”, and “Keep the Christ in Christmas”, but do we really understand the meaning of this time of year? It can be the best and worst times for many who pour their heart out to the very people they love most, and in return receive either the joy of gratitude from their gifts, or the ingratitude of selfishness.

So how do we, as the givers of many things, overcome the detail of ingratitude? We find joy in the areas that give us joy, and we try to smile through hurt feelings as we watch the ones we love open gifts and spend time together as family and friends. We remember that Jesus IS the reason for this season, and that with out Christ, there is no Christmas. We pray for the hearts of some to be softened, and we pray for our own to be protected.

Even though what I am inclined to do is return every single hard sought out gift and buy my husband and I a new bed, I will stay the course and find another way to teach about gratitude.

Most of all this Christmas Eve, I want to remind myself that the birth of my savior was such a humble beginning, and his parents knew what his future held, yet they still taught him to walk, run, be grateful and love. They had the Christ-child to raise, and he was a huge responsibility for them. The challenges I face are mild in comparison. When challenged with the craziness of this season, I will thank God for the promise of another day coming, where I will never experience this again.

And pour myself another cup of coffee, with gratitude.