I don’t watch the Oscars anymore. We used to have Oscar parties and everything. But I got tired of those people up there trying to be adequately thankful in thirty seconds with the constant threat of an orchestral swell and a commercial break.
That’s a little how I’m feeling about L. L. Barkat’s Thanksgiving Celebration that she’s organized HighCallingBlogs.com and ChristianityToday.com.
I’m not worried L. L. is going to cut me short, but I just can’t decide what to be thankful for! I don’t want to leave anything out. And I don’t want to be glib either. I can’t just throw my hands in the air and dance in a circle on the dry leaves of my backyard and say, “I’m thankful for it all!” Something that vague doesn’t feel thankful enough. And yet, the things I feel I ought to be thankful for aren’t the ones that come to mind.
Jesus and Coffee
Only now, for instance, am I thinking, “Don’t forget Jesus, dude. He saved the world. That’s something to be thankful for.”
Honestly, though, the fresh ground Wildfire Coffee Roasters brewing in the next room is what I’m thankful for right now. Wait a minute…
I stopped writing and just poured a tall mug of coffee. It made that wonderful liquid sound with the rising pitch. And the mug warmed up in my hand. And I didn’t spill a drop. And the smell. And now, that first sip of coffee in the morning. Wow. It’s hot in my mouth. And the coffee is so smooth-that’s what I love about Wildfire Roasters. Deep, rich flavor without the bitter, burntness of Starbucks.
Is it bad for thankfulness to sound like a commercial?
Now I’m thinking, what a bad father and husband I must be. I’ve put Jesus and coffee before my family! And Jesus was more a thankfulness obligation than a real moment of thankfulness. (Sorry, Jesus, I’m trying to be honest here. No relationship works well if we aren’t honest, right?)
Here’s the thing. For me, coffee means rest. It’s a coffee break. It’s almost a mug of Sabbath sitting next to my keyboard.
Now I have to stop and take another sip. So good. So warm. I love it.
Thanksgiving Rest
I took a rest last month leading up to Halloween. I never posted anything about that, though David Rupert of Red Letter Believers asked me what I learned from that time of rest. Here’s what I learned, David: I love to rest. What a wonderful world that has rest built into it!
That’s what I’m thankful for.
Rest, in the form of warm coffee.
Rest, in the form of a new season from Radio Lab.
Rest, in the form of a quiet bike ride to work after lunch.
Rest, in the form of a thanksgiving chain that we’re going to put on our Christmas Tree for “Make Something Day.”
Rest, in the form of my creative kids who danced with me last night and invented the special Thanksgiving dance “The Squanto Hop.”
Rest, in the form of my wife of thirteen years who makes everything right even though she didn’t see us dance “The Squanto Hop” because she was practicing to play a saucy maid in Tartuffe.
Rest, in the form of our supportive church that asked me to write a play for them.
Rest, in the form of these extra minutes before work when the whole world seems asleep and I’m just loving life.
Some of my descriptions of rest seem more like creation and work, I guess. But for me, almost all play is rest. Playdough. Twister. Another viewing of another Iron Chef. When I rest and play, I get to be like a little kid again.
And I’m so thankful for a world that lets middle-aged guys like me be like little kids, full of wonder and joy and playfulness nearly every day.
