Whistle a Happy Tune

"Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts."
                                -Colossians 3:16

This doesn't happen to everyone, but once in awhile life circumstances hit us full-on, and when Thanksgiving comes around it is hard to find something to be thankful for.  It is true that we can chime in with what we KNOW we should be thankful for...maybe the kids, maybe your family, maybe a helpful friend, or your health....we've been trained well to do this.

But really, deep down inside, we find ourselves struggling to be thankful. 

This is where I find myself this year.

Ever feel that way?

With social media today, it is so easy to look at everyone else's lives as the picture-perfect, picket fence dream we see them posting on a daily basis.  They've proudly put their happy moments on display-buying new houses, getting promotions, beautiful children in perfect poses...I do it too. 

I also look at everyone's happiness around me and feel jealous, like a little kid, of what they have.  I think that if I had what they had, instead of the circumstance I am in, I would be happy. 

In an all-time favorite movie of mine, "The Count of Monte Cristo", one of the characters is remembering with a wealthy nobleman a time when he was little and he was given a pony while his poor friend was given a whistle.  She remembers with him how he was angry because the poor boy was happier with his whistle than he was with his pony.   I often think to myself, "That's what I want!"  I want to be happy with a whistle!

But I look around at bills we can't pay, mouths we're having trouble feeding, broken friendships, losses I've experienced over the years, and all the anger and fear inside me, and instead of being happy, I'm struggling to be thankful for anything-even the ponies I've clearly been blessed with. 

But there is a place to find peace and contentment.

We've all been given the greatest gift, and if accepted, there is happiness beyond our expectations.  Through all the turmoil and disappointment in life, whatever you are going through, whatever you are anxious or angry about, whatever you fear, there is a promise to be thankful for...a promise of everlasting life, unconditional love, and an undeniable happiness to be found.

A gift worth shouts of thanksgiving.

A whistle named Jesus.

This gift of hope comes with warmth, and fills your emptiness with all that you could ever need, blessings in abundance, and a thankful heart.  A gift that gives contentment no matter what.