Thankful in 2020

What are you thankful for in 2020?

Besides knowing it’s only five weeks until 2021?

During Thanksgiving week, I like to reflect and review reasons to be thankful in a given year.

2020 has proven a challenge, but I came up with five major categories

First, why be thankful in 2020?

Several years ago, I had a major disappointment.

I didn’t handle it well.

My hopes and dreams dashed up against reality and I had a difficult time “turning the prism,” and seeing anything positive.

I sulked, complained, whined, and made the people around me miserable.

I allowed myself two months to wallow, and then I knew I needed to release the issue and move forward.

But it was hard.

How could I get past all the disappointment?

By choosing to be thankful.

So, while most people will agree 2020 has been one long disappointment, I’ve chosen to look for the good.

Five Reasons to be Thankful in 2020

Increased time with my husband

He plans to retire eventually.

Would we be able to spend hours, days, weeks, months, and even years together?

So far, so good.

We don’t get in the way of each other’s daily routine. He exercises early, I walk later.

We don’t necessarily eat breakfast or lunch together unless by coincidence.

I quit working at dinnertime and turn off the computer.

We talk, sit together, occasionally watch a movie at night, and read.

We’ve been married a long time. It’s working.

The ability to exercise

We had a beautiful spring, summer, and now fall in Northern California.

With my gym closed, I walk about an hour every day.

I’m so thankful we live in a safe place. Our neighbors put in gardens and flowers bloomed profusely.

Interesting podcasts abound and I listen while I walk. (On my phone app: Women Worth Knowing, The Eric Metaxas Show, The Pastor Writer, God is Not a Theory, Historical Fiction Unpacked, Novel Marketing, Writing at the Red House, Blogging Bistro Podcast. I’ve been a guest on half of these shows.)

That hour is splendid and I’m thankful for fresh air and friendly waves along the way.

Learning Opportunities

This is the first time in nearly 30 years I did NOT lead a Bible Study.

(You’d think I’d be done talking by now, but the Word of God is new with every reading! LOL).

So, I purposefully chose to be a Bible student.

We have access to so many Bible study tools these days.

I’ve written before about how much I love the Bible Project–and how extraordinary it was to watch (three hours a night for five straight nights), the entire Biblical canon in one sweep.

I’ve learned so much from reading one Bible chapter a day of Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara’s teaching pastor David Guzik‘s commentary. (See EnduringWord.com )

On nights I don’t sleep or days when I’ve heard all my favorite podcasts, I listen to Enduring Word’s audio teachings.

On painful nights, I sometimes listen to two or even three hours of Enduring Word audio! (Which is how I got through Kings, Samuel, Luke, several minor prophets, and am now in Jeremiah!)

I’ve also been learning surprising Biblical lessons on healing and prophecy through Orbis Ministries.

And I just updated my Logos.com software.

Since the aforementioned husband is always around, conversations are lengthy and fascinating!

Thankful, even, for Zoom

I’d been using Zoom for several years, so I didn’t have a learning curve.

Still, even I get tired of it . . .

But, I’m so thankful it enables us to see our family and friends on screen regularly.

My Sunday school class meets via Zoom, and we’re very engaged.

These are wise folks who are usually too busy serving to see each other, so it’s been wonderful to share insights with them.

Work life, interviews, friendly people, Bible teachings. It’s all been good.

And for this Thanksgiving, the extended family will gather around their screens and toast two new babies–from wherever in the world we are!

Never Last: Thankful for God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit

In his book, God Is Red: The Secret Story of How Christianity Survived and Flourished in Communist China, atheist author Liao Yiwu explored the secret.

It basically came down to two facts. Christians, despite persecution, believed two things about God and their relationship with Him:

• He would never leave nor forsake them.
• He provided a peace that passed all understanding.

Those facts are true for all of us and bear thankfulness:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Philippians 4:6-8

What are you thankful for today?

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