Thanksgiving and Perseverance

Many cultures and countries around the world observe days of thanksgiving.  Often these holidays were celebrated in connection with harvest, because families would have enough food to survive a winter.   Many of us in Hong Kong and around the world have our basic needs met, so Thanksgiving celebrations tend to go beyond basic needs to gratitude for family and friends, good fortune, and, as Christians, we lift our thankful hearts upward to God for his indescribable gift of surpassing grace through Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 9:10-15).  

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.  You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!  1 Corinthians 9:10-11,15 (NIV)

Sometimes, when we have things so good, we can be tempted to complain when things are inconvenient or don’t go the way that we had hoped.  The scriptures encourage us to give thanks in all circumstances.  This is not an invitation to wishful thinking or unrealistic positive thinking.  It does, however, encourage us to look beyond our circumstances. 

Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

A couple of things happened this week at school that highlighted this for me.  First were our Lower and Upper Elementary chapels this week. Where Class 2C helped us to see that even those things that seem ugly and like cockroaches, mosquitos, slugs and houseflies serve an important purpose in the world.  They provide nourishment for other animals and serve as decomposers, so the world does not fill with death and decay.  The children were so adorable as they acted this out, but the message was also powerful.  Class 3D also shared on the theme of thanksgiving, acting out scenarios where gratitude and thanksgiving might not be our natural response.  

The other place that I was able to see the power of a positive and thankful mindset was with our U12 boys basketball team this week.  This year we are made up of a majority of 5th-grade players.  They are a talented bunch, but we got off to a slow start with two very bad losses.  This could have been discouraging for the boys, but they continued to come to practice with a good attitude and play through.  They didn’t blame each other or point out each other’s failures.  We just worked on what we could: fundamental ball handling, ball movement, and of course, trying to create scoring opportunities.  We went to HKIS this week, and the boys played amazingly well, led by our Middle School boys.  We lost by 7 points, but we scored 39 points and controlled the ball well.  I was so proud of these boys for their determination to improve and play together with heart.