Practicing Gratitude
In a couple weeks, our family of four will load up the car and head north to Dallas. My spouse, Matt, and his family have celebrated Thanksgiving with the same family friends for over 30 years. The tradition started in the 1990s when my in-laws lived in Austin, four states away from their closest relatives in Ohio. They joined forces with the Beyer family for the festivities. Both families have grown, losing some of our seasoned saints and adding a new generation that spans in age from 9 to 19. We’ve gathered around tables in Austin, Houston, Dallas – and virtually during the pandemic. Wherever we gather, there is always fried turkey, pumpkin pie, excessive laughter and deep gratitude.
Families all over the U.S. will set their tables, open their doors and an estimated 46 million turkeys will be consumed. Though it is not a joyful gathering for all. For some, family is scarce. For others, civility and healthy relationships within their families are non-existent. For many, food insecurity makes the holiday acutely painful. Thankfully, the work of organizations like Feed the Need Missions and AMEN food pantry helps alleviate this need. Thanksgiving does not have a monopoly on gratitude. While it is a secular holiday, the practice of giving thanks has deep roots in the Christian tradition. Even in the night Jesus was betrayed, he took the bread and gave thanks. The Apostle Paul gives a recipe for faithful discipleship, “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:1618).
Brene Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston. In her book, “Atlas of the Heart,” Brown explores the language of emotion and human experience. She maps 87 emotions, giving language to the feelings that bubble up within the human heart. One of the 87 is gratitude. She writes, “There is overwhelming evidence that gratitude is good for us physically, emotionally, and mentally. Gratitude is correlated with better sleep, increased creativity, decreased entitlement, decreased hostility and aggression, increased decision-making skills, decreased blood pressure – the list goes on.”
Gratitude is good for us physically, emotionally and mentally. Even more, gratitude is good for us spiritually. It strengthens faith and brings joy. David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk says, “It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” For him, gratefulness is a reality-based practice and choice. Gratitude is celebrating the good in life, rather than expecting good to happen or longing for the next good thing to come along. And Christian gratitude celebrates the good and gives thanks to God from whom all blessings flow.
Do you have a daily gratitude practice? Some practices include keeping a gratitude journal, writing one thank you note every day or sharing stories of gratitude around the dinner table with family or friends. Try it, it’s good for you!