GRATEFUL

We tried something different for Thanksgiving today. We rode the train into downtown Chicago to take in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (we have always gone down on the Friday after Thanksgiving as part of our tradition instead).

The weather was great. It was a fun time with the whole fam together. That's Joelene and me on the train with our grandson, Elias.

We actually intended to eat Thanksgiving dinner this year at Macy's Walnut Room, but it wasn't open. (We'd heard it was.)

So we ended up coming home for 'leftovers.' But we're having our big Italian/American Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow instead. I love change. And in the end, no matter how you turn it, I'm grateful.

James McDonald says there are ‘LEVELS of GRATITUDE’ - elementary, high school and graduate school gratitude.

Elementary level is Hebrews 13:15 - 'Let us offer a continual sacrifice of praise to God.' It is the sacrifice of thankfulness. “Thanks, God. There - I said Thank You. And You should be happy I said it.' In other words, my obligation to thank You has been met. I could probably have done it without You, but thanks for helping me. That's something, but it’s not much.

High School level gratitude is I Thessalonians 5:18 - 'Be thankful in all circumstances, because this is God's will for all you who belong in Christ.' You can find something to be thankful for in every situation -always. We can make that choice. And this works really well - especially if you’re NOT going thru anything tough at the moment.

But if you want the real joy, go to graduate school level gratitude. Ephesians 5:18, 20 - 'Give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus.' We’re famous for theologizing that you shouldn’t give thanks FOR bad things - just give thanks IN the bad circumstance. But this verse says: “Give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Graduate school gratitude is where we come to the place we can say, ‘Thank You, God. This is the very thing I know You’re using in my life right now. You LOVE me and I TRUST You. Thank You, God, even ... for ... this.’

Am I a thankful person? Am I choosing gratefulness moment by moment? I"m trying.

Hope your day was amazing.

And be blessed.