My Country Blog of This and That is having an “Attitude of Gratitude Give-Away.”  This is a lovely idea.  To enter, you leave a comment on the post stating what you are thankful for and for a double entry, you can also blog about it and link back to the post.  Click here to read it.

     Counting my blessings is one of my favorite things to do, so naturally I love this post.  As I was reflecting on gratitude, I remembered a birthday I had a few years back, in which I didn’t feel all that grateful.  It was my 34th birthday, and I was measuring my life with the yardstick of the world–What do I own?  How succesful am I in my career?  Married?  Kids?  Fancy Vacations? 

     Let’s just say that with that particular yardstick, I came up short.  I didn’t own a home, I was single, and I felt stuck in a mediocre job that I didn’t like that much.  I just had the sense that I “should be farther along by now.”  When I expressed these feelings at work, an outspoken Christian woman and colleague said to me, “You need to consider not just where you are, but all the places you’re not.  That will gie you lots of reasons to celebrate.”

      I was in self-pity mode, so it took me a bit of prodding to get her point.  “What do you mean, consider where I’m not?”

     “Jail,” she said.  “You could be in jail.  You could be paralized by depression.  You could be paralized.”

     I had never considred my ability to stay out of jail for 34 years a great accomplishment, but I paused to to think.  What if  I had different parents?  What if I had no parents?  And no one around to teach me right from wrong?  What if I grew up in extreme poverty?  What if I was all alone in the world?

     Yep, point taken.  I am thankful for all the places I’m not, and all of the things I’m not, and all that God has save me from in Jesus Christ.  This is a new way to consider all that we have to be grateful for–I am so thankful for the many things that are, but I am also very thankful for the many things that are not.

Here’s an Incomplete List Of My Thanks for What I’m Not:

• I’m thankful I’m not hungry.
• I’m thankful I’m not blind.
• I’m thankful I’m not sick.
• I’m thankful I’m not in jail.
• I’m thankful I’m not living on the street, my car, or a cardboard box.
• I am thankful I’m not all alone in the world.
• I’m thankful I’m not depressed, anxious or suicidal.
• I’m thankful I’m not in the hospital.
• I’m thankful I’m not helpless.
• I’m thankful I’m not an alcoholic or a drug addict.
• I’m thankful I’m not unemployed.
• I’m thankful I’m not living in a country where I would be in constant danger of violence and death.
• I’m thankful I’m not illiterate.

When I was 21, I went to Mexico on my first-ever mission trip.  A group of ten from my church went, and we had a blast.  We were helping a pastor and his family build a house.  The trip was a whirlwind of helping, making new friends, and learning about the culture.  The first Sunday after we returned to the states, we were all going to have a chance to give testimonies and talk about the trip as part of the worship service.  Sunday morning, I woke up very sick.  I missed church, and I missed my chance to talk about the trip.  I was so disappointed, but more than anything, I just felt left out. That morning, I ran across a scripture that has been especially important (and encouraging) to me ever since.

It is Psalm 16: 5-6, “Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.  The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance” (NIV).   That morning, this verse spoke assurance to me that God had made my place (lot) secure, and I did not need to fight for position, or worry about being left out of anything.  God provides, and  his provision is secure–in everything.

I have returned to this verse zillions of times since then–whenever I feel like I have messed up, and the outcome depends on me, I am reminded that the outcome depends on God.  He has given me what I am meant to have, and he gives me security.  Whenever I feel frustrated or held back by my circumstances, I remember, “the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.”

And then there is the other extremely good news in this verse.  Imagine you are at a banquet–every food, delicacy, delight, treat, desert imaginable is there.  Who would you most want to fix your plate and get your drink?  Would you insist on doing it yourself, if God wanted to do it for you?  To me, the idea of the Lord choosing and assigning to me a portion and a cup is thrilling thing.  There is no doubt in my mind that the Lord will give me a better portion and cup, than I would choose or fight for and win on my own.  God is good.  He holds a special place for all of his children.  I hope this verse in Psalm 16 brings encouragement to you as it has to me.