Here at The Echo, we realize now is the time of year busyness can take over. Thanksgiving nears, yet we can forget to be thankful.
It can feel odd, the holiday season. We’re heading into Thanksgiving with much to do and even more on our mind. Reflecting, praying and being thankful are acts that slip from our schedule as we direct our attention to a thousand other tasks.
No matter how busy this time of year can be, being determined to practice thankfulness will benefit your walk with Christ and your life in general.
For Greg MaGee, associate professor of biblical studies, choosing to be thankful can look like a morning walk with his dog, he said. He added that carving out time in the morning to be outside and pray and thank God for what he is doing is impactful time for him.
“The intentionality is the key,” MaGee said. “You have creational gifts, you have redemptive gifts in Christ and relational gifts. Really, all of those are things we ought to be acknowledging in our lives.”
According to MaGee, thankfulness is an essential piece of living a Christian life. However, it can be a struggle to keep a thankful heart.
For good reason, too.
Tests, projects and extracurriculars pile up and it seems like you might explode if one more task is added to your plate. What a perfect time to be thankful.
Sounds sarcastic, but we’re serious. We only have so many moments on this earth, let alone at Taylor. Being stressed and overwhelmed will happen in college, but if we’re not taking time to stop and be thankful, we may be missing the point.
During hectic periods of our life, we tend to fix our gaze on the next fun, relaxing or enjoyable moment. As a result, we fall into a pattern of living for the weekends or just trying to make it to the next scheduled break in the calendar.
While it’s not necessarily wrong to look forward to those times, keeping and carrying this mindset throughout life can be unhealthy.
This is where thankfulness comes in. Donna Downs, associate professor of media communication, said thanking God throughout the day — not just morning and night — is a part of her practice.
“I believe in the power of thanking people who have come alongside us, from little things to large things,” Downs said. “I am a fan of sending notes, not only of encouragement but of thanksgiving.”
Jim Spiegel, professor of philosophy and religion, said he is intentional about incorporating expressions of gratitude towards God in his prayer time.
When he is thankful, he notices how he tends to be more forgiving towards others and patient in times of challenging circumstances, he said.
We only have the moments given to us, with no future moment guaranteed. So, take some time and remember all the good things God has done in your life. Let someone important in your life know how much they mean to you.
You may have no idea who needs to hear that right now.
