It’s been said that you never know what you have until it’s gone. Very recently I found out how true that is. About a month ago, our dishwasher decided that instead of washing dishes, it wanted to wash the kitchen floor with a flash flood. This was not one of its advertised options. After mopping up the floor, and several fruitless repair attempts, we finally admitted that it was dead.

    

Now, we had purchased this dishwasher, used, about 12 years ago, for only $100. Our active family of 5 has certainly gotten more than our use and money out of it. For the past 12 years, I haven’t given this dishwasher any thought… until it was gone. The reality of washing our dishes each night by *gasp* hand set in hard and fast. After a few nights of feeling sorry for myself, it finally dawned on me that I have been fairly ungrateful for something as simple and basic as a dishwasher.

 

The more I thought about it (I’ve had plenty of time to ponder at the sink over the last month), I began to remember how many things I have to be thankful for – things that I simply take for granted. I have so much more than clean dishes: good food on those dishes each day, modern conveniences to make life simpler, and electricity to run them all. And of course, the list goes on and on.

 

The Dishwasher Debacle of 2018 has given me a new mental challenge. I’ve decided that when I find myself tempted to grumble and complain, I’m going to use that as my personal prompt to look for something to be thankful for instead.

 

1 Thessalonians encourages us to, “give thanks in all circumstances.” So that’s what I’m going to try to do. I invite you to join me in this. Not just on Thanksgiving Day, or the week of Thanksgiving. Let’s make a lifestyle commitment to giving thanks.

 

PHBC Family – you are one of the many things that I’m giving thanks to our God for this year. You are a constant blessing and encouragement to me, and it’s a joy to serve you. Happy Thanksgiving!