Everyone is suddenly hot on Christmas…

And if putting up your tree will make you happy, then I say go for it sister!!!

Put up the tree, play the music, drink the hot cocoa, bake the cookies, watch all the cheesy movies.

Yes!!!

But I can’t say I’m with you. Not yet.

I just CAN’T skip Thanksgiving.

There’s the food, of course. (You guys, the FOOD!!! Stuffing??? Pecan pie??? I’m dying. Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE meal of the year!!!)

But the real reason is…

Right now I’m desperate for gratitude.

DESPERATE.

With everything going on in the world lately it’s been easy to believe everything is awful. And it’s easy to just wish it away.

Let’s focus on Christmas!! Maybe that will be the fix!!

But what I really need to focus on is gratitude. My blessings. The incredible number of (mostly undeserved) gifts in my life.

This husband. This whole herd of messy, noisy children. A house for us to grow up and grow old in. Food on the table (and our next meals waiting in the pantry). Friends and family and fun and entertainment. Education for my kids. An insurance card in my wallet and a hospital up the road should any of us get sick.

Really, almost EVERY SINGLE ONE of our wants and needs right at our fingertips.

I want to be grateful for each and every one.

I want to pull it out. Hold it up to the light. Understand how I’ve done nothing…absolutely nothing…to deserve the privilege of it all. And how I’m fall-on-my-knees grateful for ALL of it.

This month I want to focus on the incredible depth of gratitude I have for this lovely, ordinary little life.

THIS one.

My life.

What a blessing. What a gift.

Christmas is SO fun. And I can’t wait to buy the gifts and wrap them up and stick them under our tree and hang the stockings in a row and bake all the cookies and laugh at Elf and Christmas Vacation and make a few memories with my precious family.

I really can’t wait!!!!

But first…the gratitude. The thank you.

THANK YOU, GOD.

For all of it.