When I was growing up, even before I could write, my three sisters and I would have to write 100 things we were thankful for before we were allowed to eat Thanksgiving lunch at my grandparents. If we were too young to pen the words ourselves, we would dictate them to my mom who would write them down for us and verify that we had, indeed, completed the list before lunchtime. As we got older, moved away and became parents of our own, technology kept this long standing tradition alive as we emailed our 100 things–sometimes merely minutes before the meal was served. This has become one of my favorite family traditions and one that we have all implemented with our own children as well. The lists would usually start with one word answers such as, Mom, a house, sunsets, etc. and move into phrases that exhibited a truly thankful heart that was humbled before our God. In researching for this article, I thought it would be “fun” to look back at some of our lists over the years. However, I was unprepared for the amount of tears that would follow such readings of our family history. How could simple words and phrases listed on a page bring such a flood of emotions?
These lists tell a story of our lives from childhood, through the rocky teens years, and into marriage and parenthood. Throughout these 100 things are names of people that have gone to be with Jesus and pets that were so well loved. There are answered prayers and ones that took years to be answered. The lists give a clear picture of the culture of the day and advances in technology, and where we were in our lives and in our faith. But most of all, these 100 things depict a God who is ever-faithful, ever-good, ever-merciful and loving, and One who never stops providing for those He loves. We have so much to be thankful for, but how often do we take the time to tell the Lord just how grateful we are? How often do we thank God for the hardships that teach us patience, and the financial struggles that teach us reliance on Him. Are we remembering to be thankful for each breath or just the ones that bring us joy?
In 2008, my sister, Heidi (SMSgt) who is in the Air Force, was stationed in Iraq during Thanksgiving. Her 3 boys were very young and living back in the States with my mom. Heidi’s list (a portion is pictured above) depicts someone who truly did not take a single thing for granted. When the luxuries of home were stripped away, she took delight in every little thing. I still remember how humbling it was to read her list that year!
This Thanksgiving, may we all take the time to remember God’s goodness and to write it down. Let our thankfulness be a legacy for our children as we cultivate thankful hearts in them as well. Think 100 is too many to list? I can already name 100 Ordinary Women that God has blessed me with over the past 2 years!
“It was not your children who saw what he did for you in the wilderness until you arrived at this place…But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the Lord has done…Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 11:5,7,19 NIV
