This year, I celebrated thanksgiving – the holiday – in Barbados.

I contemplated the essence of the word, and decided to invite it into my heart on and beyond that day.

Thanksgiving: a prayer expressing gratitude; a public acknowledgment or celebration of God’s goodness (N.L.T)

Thanksgiving is a way of living – a daily call to action…if we are willing. It’s not always easy to give thanks, because we are at times ungrateful and prone to taking things and people for granted…but it sure is heart-warming, refreshing, and invites more goodness into our lives.

Some days it’s tough and I feel like I’m reaching; giving thanks for my ear lobes, elbows, the sparky bird that lands on the window sill to pick up a gifted morsel each morning, a flower emoticon sent by a thoughtful friend, or someone holding the door open for you at the bank or supermarket…but sometimes we are called to reach…to stretch beyond the limited walls of our minds and stubborn wants, and reach inside our hearts to find traces, droplets, and gems of gratitude tucked away inside. Then reach out to others with thanksgiving, sharing our gratitude, appreciation and words of encouragement.

So thanksgiving really is thanks-gifting.

We give thanks for what we have, where and who we are, as we receive more blessings and experiences to be grateful for – all by the gift of grace.

Today, I’m thankful for:

• hugging my cousins this morning: though the circumstances were challenging, there was the gift of gathering and words of comfort shared by the Pastor
• time with one of my jack russells who curled up in my arms, sprawled out, and slept 
• learning more about Compassion International through their website
• God’s love
• taking time to do the laundry 
• eyes, ears, a nose, limbs that respond to thought, a sound mind
• the beautiful flowers from today
• conversations with and introductions to uncles
• you who’re reading this post, and those who share their time here
• remembering the words to “Ave Maria” to sing this morning
• this “Best of Yiruma”| Yiruma Greatest Hits now playing on YouTube