Grantidotes Day 4

 

I’m writing this a day late. I was completely exhausted with a headache last night after a full day, so I put my earplugs in and went to bed at 8:45.  

Once again though, I’m so glad to be doing this gratitude challenge because throughout the day, when I’m consciously looking for things to be thankful for, I seem to have such an improved perspective on life.  I’m less of a whiner, even if only internally.

 

First Up:

 

1.

COFFEE.

Thank you Jesus for coffee.  Is that super-spiritual that I’m so thankful for a beverage?  I see that so often it’s lauded to give things up like coffee, or sugar, or some kind of food, but you know what that sounds like to me? Crazy talk.  I actually have a whole theology around coffee.

I believe that God has given us coffee because he loves us. He knows we are weak and often tired.  In his mercy he has given us shadows of his glory here on earth, sometimes in the form of things that delight and empower us as we consume them.  I believe coffee falls into that category. I may be overplaying my hand here, but at any rate, drinking coffee every morning causes me to literally thank God, and to feel more equipped and charged up for whatever he has for me to do in a day.

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Colossians 2:16-17

2.

I’m so thankful to have both a body and a car that work well.  Last Sunday I slept on the floor of our boys’ room because Nick was sick, and I could hardly move the next day.  My lower back was completely wrecked.  I literally was moving like I did on the first post-op day after having c-sections to deliver our kids.  I busted out the full arsenal of medications, hot baths, ice packs, essential oils, and with that was able to minimally function.  As the week went on I got better and better and I’m about back to my normal speed.  Yesterday I had a full calendar of errands, drop-offs, and things to do, and it hit me as I was racing through the Costco parking lot with my cart: I am SO thankful to have a body that’s back at full speed, barely sore, and a big car that holds all the things that need to be picked up & delivered in a day.  

 

3.

Movies that highlight the gravity of the human condition.  Kevin and I saw Hacksaw Ridge yesterday evening. Wow.  I sat through much of the movie with my posture somewhat recoiled, face in a grimace, holding back tears, literally wringing my hands.  Such an intense movie. If you’re not familiar, the movie is about a young man who believes that his faith requires him to never kill, even in war.  And yet he feels compelled to join the military because his brother and his friends from home all join and he believes it’s not right for him to stay home while they all go fight.

They end up having to scale a cliff via a large rope cargo net, in order to try to push through enemy-occupied hacksaw ridge.  If they can do this, they can get to Okinawa, a pivotal location in the war.  

I won’t spoil it, because I think you should see it.

I am thankful for movies like these, even though they are sad and painful to watch, because I believe it does a few things for us to expose ourselves to stories like this.

 

I think that our generation (I’m generalizing), specifically in the USA, is very far removed from times of war and great suffering. I know this isn’t true for my friends who have served in the military, but the way wars go now is quite different than 80 years ago.  Even when we are in an active conflict, those of us who get to remain home are still very far removed from it.  During the World Wars, it was truly a national effort.  Our great-grandparents lived through the World Wars and the Depression, and as a result, many of them had a very different world view than most of us now have.  They understood the sacrifice needed to promote human flourishing both at home and around the world.  I fear that we often take so many things for granted for which they often had to put some serious skin in the game.  

 

The other thing that always happens when I watch a war movie, is that I have a renewed sense of urgency about sharing the hope of Jesus.  This world is so broken and in need of a Savior.  It’s easy to forget that though, if I stay tightly sealed off inside of my middle class American bubble.  The truth is though, the loss of life, the devaluing of image bearers of God, the hate straight from Hell that incites these epic battles; it grieves the heart of God.  He hasn’t left us without a way out though, and he has provided a form of rescue and redemption that’s available to all people.  Time is short, life is fragile, evil is real yet so is redemption, & eternity is forever.   Those things get seared into my heart all over again when I watch a movie like Hacksaw ridge.

 

Comments

[Kaye]

1. Like most things where people experience accomplishing a goal together, I am moved to tears thankful I got to see all the cast of Elf perform so well and celebrate together. Some of the best of the human spirit in those moments!
2. I am thankful for the way my house is situated for the sunrises, especially on the shorter days of the year. Glory!
3. I'm thankful for Thursday lunches with my husband, and how I look forward to them.