Dear TC Students, Thanksgiving edition:

Being thankful entails having the proper perspective. No matter where you are, no matter what state you are in, you can be grateful if you look at your circumstances with the proper lenses. No one has the right to be ungrateful. Equally, no one has the right to be grateful. Thankfulness begins when we realize we have no rights at all. In the eyes of God we are always in the wrong.
I work with young men you seem to be in a constant state of discontent. They (NB: I am painting with a huge brush here) have an uncanny ability in finding the bad of any situation. They complain they have holes in their socks. When we give them new socks (that is right--we give them their clothes) they complain that they did not get them soon enough. They complain about the food they receive, and they complain when they cannot get seconds. They complain that their schedule is too full, and they complain when they don't have enough to do. No matter what happens to them, they complain. Are not "we" not unlike "them"? It is easy for us to think of "them" as ungrateful, as long as we are not talking about "us". Seldom do we realize that "they" are "us". All of us are selfish. All of us are ungrateful. All of us want more than we have. Doesn't this all seem so silly? Why be un-thankful? Would not life be much easier if we rejoiced over every circumstance in our life, knowing that is not the worst that could happen? Should not we acknowledge that "every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of Lights"? Is it not true that everything the Father of Lights giveth us is good?
I sincerely hope that everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving holiday. I hope everyone enjoys the time they can spend with their family and friends. I will spending Thanksgiving at work. I am not very excited about it, but I realize that is God's plan for me. I do get Holiday pay for Thursday and Friday, and that will come in handy for Christmas. I will look for the good.
That is all.