give thanks

Last week, I learned about the Thankful Villages. According to BBC News online, these are British settlements where all those who served in one of the World Wars returned home, and those places who lost no one to either war have become known as "Doubly Thankful". The heartwarming article I read described a handful of villages who welcomed home every single young man who had bravely set out to fight all those years ago. Though none avoided the full horror and psychological or physical after-effects experienced by so many of the soldiers who did return alive, these villages were spared the disproportionate loss of life wreaked upon other parts of the country. How blessed they must have felt, especially those who had cause to be doubly thankful. How wonderful to be able to give thanks for the fact that someone precious has not been lost to you. What a simple, yet profound, gift is that of continued life, even though those returning from war had certainly not escaped unscathed.

Recently I visited a large shopping centre for the first time in many months. I dislike the crowds, noise and queuing associated with shopping in person at the best of times, but add two small children to the equation and the thought of entering the Metro Centre during the run-up to Christmas practically brings me out in a rash. However, Ben needed to visit the Genius Bar in the Apple store, and the ratio of adults to children promised to facilitate a comparatively pleasant shopping trip. As we strolled through John Lewis and purchased Christmas pyjamas for the children, I was reminded of how consumer-based life can become if it's allowed to do so. There were so many lovely things on offer! It would be really easy to give in to the temptation of wanting to own more stuff than we already do, and justifying it by telling myself that the children need even more clothes (which they don't), or that we never get to go out in the evenings so we deserve even more DVDs to watch (despite being LoveFilm members), or that it's about time I treated myself to a load of new post-pregnancy clothes (although I still have plenty of weight to lose before I ought to be buying any new clothes).

My dad has worked with Habitat for Humanity since his retirement, and every time he goes on an expedition to a different country and helps to build houses for people who need somewhere to live, he returns with stories of how grateful they are simply to have a roof over their heads. Many have experienced hardship, poverty, bereavement and challenges beyond anything I can imagine, but are still incredibly grateful for the little they have. These people, and those who lived in the Thankful Villages in the twentieth century, are such an inspiration to me. They challenge me just to be grateful for what I have at the start of each day. To try and stop myself from imagining how much easier and better my life would be if I had this, that and the next thing, and instead to start giving thanks for the many things, both astonishingly wonderful and simple, with which I have been blessed: the promise of salvation and eternal life, a lovely and loving family, friends who I so much appreciate, a home, food on the table and good health, to name only a few of those things. I regularly follow a blog called Lemonade Makin' Mama, whose Christian author has hanging in her kitchen a chalkboard inscribed with the words "Give Thanks" (1 Thessalonians 5v18). I need the daily reminder to be grateful in all circumstances, and am grateful to have received it this past week. Go and read about the Thankful Villages; you'll be glad you did.