Thanksgiving in July

Last weekend, before we flew to Zambia, Abby and I were hosted overnight in Johannesburg by an amazing Christian family in South Africa. We sat around the table for several hours trading stories and asking questions about one another and one question they asked us was, "What is Thanksgiving?" They had heard of it in the movies, but have no such holiday in South Africa. We explained to them about the Pilgrims and the Indians and the first Thanksgiving and how it became a national holiday. They said, " . . . So on Thanksgiving, what do you do? Do you give thanks?" I said that some families go around and give thanks, but for many, it's about watching two football games, eating a ton of food, seeing some relatives, and getting ready to go shopping the next day.

Interestingly, God used that coversation as a bit of a foreshadowing for a lesson in thanksgiving in the days to come. Since that conversation in South Africa, we have spent 5 days in Zambia with some of the most thankful people I've ever met. I want to share with you a few of the questions God has whispered in my ear over the past few days, confronting me with my ungrateful attitude. I hope they are challenging to you as well:

When was the last time you had the same thing to eat 5 days in a row?
When was the last time you went to work or school barefoot
When was the last time you went a week without getting to shower, brush your teeth, or wear deodorant?
When was the last time you sang hymns with your friends outside of church just for the joy of it?
When was the last time you really thanked God for a paid holiday?
When was the last time you were thankful that your lights always turn on when you flip the switch?
When was the last time you were thanked God that when you wash your hands, you can trust that the water coming out of the tap is clean?
When was the last time you didn't have a chair to sit in at work?
When was the last time you said something like, "Ahh, I hate this stupid computer!"
When was the last time you worked all day and got paid a dollar?
When was the last time you woke up freezing and had no way to get warm?

God, take away from us until you make us a thankful people. We would rather have nothing and be thankful, than have the world and not praise you as the giver of all good things.