I had some of my students submit video selfies of gratitude. I hope these three minutes put a smile on your face and stoke your holiday spirit.
Every Thanksgiving I think about this poem from the ever-quotable Chesterton:
You say grace before meals.
G.K. Chesterton, “A Grace”, Collected Poetry
All right.
But I say grace before the concert and the opera,
and grace before the play and pantomime,
and grace before I open a book,
and grace before sketching, painting,
swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing,
and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.
Even in 2020 there is so much to be thankful for. I am grateful that my family has stayed healthy. I am grateful that we live in an age when scientists can produce three vaccines for a new pandemic in less than a year. I am grateful that even in the midst of a pandemic I have a place to live and food to eat.
I am grateful that I love my job — I get to minister at one of the most amazing places on earth. I am grateful for the team of people praying for and providing for this ministry. I am grateful that even in the midst of a pandemic we were able to meet and minister to new people — I hadn’t met six out of the twenty students in the above video before fall quarter began. How wonderful!
I am grateful that God loves, that God forgives, and that God will bring justice. I am grateful that He created a wonderful world and filled it with good things. I am grateful for the cross and for the empty tomb, and I am grateful that in just two days my family will begin decorating for Christmas to celebrate the gift of Jesus — God with us.
May the rest of your 2020 be filled with occasions for gratitude, and may your 2021 be outstanding!