10 UnCommon Things For Which I’m Thankful

Keith KettenringChristian Living, The Uncommon Journey

Thankfulness is a powerful force in our spiritual lives. It can transform every relationship and hardship. Today we celebrate gratefulness. I hope you do that well. 

Here are 10 Uncommon things for which I’m grateful: 

  1. Classical music – the beauty of blending instruments, of moving melody lines, of the variety of musical expressions, of the lives of the composers, and of the feeding of the soul makes this music worth listening to. 
  2. Struggles – from the small irritations of my wife (you who know her may find that hard to believe) to regular, daily stuff that gets under my skin, these experiences challenge me to change. This includes the stuff I bring upon myself. I usually don’t like these struggles but I’m thankful for them anyway (well, after I process them a bit). 
  3. Amazon – the convenience of doing research online and ordering with a click of the mouse sure beats the time it takes to visit many stores to find that one item. I know I’m supporting big corporation America and ignoring the little local guy. But I try to balance it all out. (Please don’t judge me :-)) 
  4. Jesus Christ – revealed in His Church, creation, scriptures, and people continues to surprise me, inspire me, and humble me. 
  5. Church family – my little church of 35-40 people, all seeking God out of their motley lives, is part of the Church of 300 million. Thanks be to God! 
  6. Birds – my admiration of this group of endothermic vertebrates continues to rise. Their simple lives – God provides, they participate, their beauty, and their enviable high metabolic rate impress me. God’s creation is glorious. 
  7. Gentle breezes – the wind harmonizing in the trees reminds me of the work of the Holy Spirit. You can’t see the wind but you can see the results of it. I love it blowing on my face. I love hearing the rustling of the leaves. 
  8. Water – is cleansing, refreshing, essential, and beautiful in its place. It can be destructive. However, without it we would not be able to live. It is another simple thing that makes life happen. 
  9. Airbnb – this company is helping us enlarge our hospitality ministry. We make a difference in the lives of hundreds of people every year as we show the love of Jesus to every “stranger” who enters our home. It’s a great honor to serve others as did Abraham and Sarah, Jesus himself, and hundreds of saints throughout history. 
  10. YOU – as a reader of the UnCommon Journey and part of this little community, you are special to me. I pray for you daily and thank God for you. I know I write about some topics that you like and others that you don’t. You may agree or disagree or wrestle with what’s written. But, you hang in there with me. I am thankful for you. 

May you have a special Thanksgiving Day. 

Dr. K