BETWEEN THE LINES: GIVING WITH A GRATEFUL HEART SOMETIMES IS DIFFICULT

* I'm more prone to complain about things that create annoyances than remembering to be grateful for them.

Being thankful sometimes takes hard work, much harder than we'd like to admit.

We forget to be thankful because we have too many things to do or we get caught up in the busy things of life and forget what's really important. I realized just how common the "holiday rush" is while shopping for Christmas cards this weekend. Hallmark makes a card for every occasion from birthdays to weddings and deaths, but I was surprised to find a box of holiday cards with a prayer for the rush of the season. The prayer admonishes us to remember why it is that we rush around the stores looking for perfect gifts or wrapping presents in ribbons and bows. It surprised me that such a card exists, but I think it might be needed.

People get too caught up in the how and where and when of a holiday and forget the reason for the celebration. Thanksgiving is no exception. I heard a poem (that arrived via e-mail) Sunday about being thankful for the simple things in life those things that sustain us when life gets rough and for which we should rejoice.

I Am Thankful for ...... the mess to clean up after a party because I've been surrounded by friends.... the taxes I pay because it means I'm employed.... the clothes that fit a bit too snug because it means I have enough to eat.... my shadow who watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine. ... a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and a gutter that needs fixing because it means I have a home.... the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking.... all the complaining I hear about our government because it means we have freedom of speech.... my huge heating bill because it means I am warm.... the lady behind me at church who sings off key because it means I can hear.... the piles of laundry and ironing because it means my loved ones are nearby.... the alarm that goes off early in the early morning because it means that I'm alive.... weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means my body is healthy enough to bend and stretch and lift.

More often than not I'm prone to complaining about things for which I should be thankful. Those annoyances often create more trouble in my life than I care to have. Sometimes, though, I just need to be reminded of the fact that all the yard work and cleaning I have to do just means I have a shelter and property to care for. We forget how grateful we should be for the abundance in our lives. A preacher speaking at a church banquet recently said that sometimes people are carried along in their faith by the people who invested in their lives. It could be a schoolteacher who supported their efforts and offered encouragement or a church leader who volunteered for the overnight youth trips. Either way someone showed you an abundance by offering their wisdom, encouragement and time to help you on your journey.

Although the preacher's was a comment about stewardship and returning monetary gifts to the church, I think it applies just as easily to Thanksgiving. So count your blessings and enjoy the abundance of your life this holiday.

Laura Johnston is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.