It’s easy to give thanks when it’s easy.

But it’s hard when it’s hard.

And life presses us — sometimes hard!

Then what?

Should we fake it?

Say “thanks” when we’re not?

A mother said to her son,

“Tell the nurse ‘thank you for the shot!’”

Through tears he refused.

Should he have?

Or — did he maintain his integrity?

Maybe the mother needed her “propriety”

balloon popped.

When we’ve lived longer than little boys,

we gradually learn some things.

One, that sometimes blessings have a pain-price.

And we can say an honest thanks even in pain —

because we “see” and “know” and understand.

“The shot is good for me!”

But there is a deeper dimension yet.

That is the “faith” dimension of gratitude.

When we see no “reasons.”

When our hearts protest in anguish.

When we wish with everything within us

that this circumstance weren’t real.

But it is! And we ask:

“How could this possibly be ‘good’?”

And yet that person prays “thank you”

entirely as an act of faith.

Grasping by fath — claiming by faith — 

the faithfulness of the Father.

Trusting where he cannot see or feel.

Having some degree of serenity even

in the midst of the storm.

Do you know even one such person?

If so, you are fortunate.

(The spiritual word is: blessed!)

Such a person is a grateful person.

Not a striver for thankfulness.

Not a saccharine sweet one.

Not a truly out-to-impress one.

A truly grateful one.

One whose roots go deep into the

goodness of life.

And even beyond.

Beyond the goodness of life into

the very goodness of God’s very being.

God — the great and ultimate goodness.

Such a person is an oasis in the desert.

What desert?

The desert of affluence and materialism.

The desert of discontent and desire.

The desert of competition and comparison.

The desert of conditional gratitute.

Always wanting what others have.

Always wanting more.

What is the remedy for such dis-ease?

What brings calm and contentment?

Eyes that see!

If only we could see!

If only we could see!

What if we could see enough blessings

to be grateful for this one minute?

Or — if need be — what if we could see them in faith?

And actually gave thanks right now?

Wouldn’t that be a blessing?

And wouldn’t we be blessings ourselves?

Let God make us our own oasis?

Wow!