The List

Do you have anything to be thankful for? In his classic novel

ROBINSIN CRUSOE, author Daniel Defoe has shipwrecked Crusoe take

inventory of his life. He makes two lists. One is a list of his

problems. The other is an inventory of that for which he can give

thanks.

A problem he writes is that he has no clothing. On his

corresponding list he writes that the weather is warm and he

really has little need for clothing. Another problem is that

all of his provisions were lost at sea. But on the other list he

writes that he has fresh fruit and water and can provide for

himself. And so it goes. He lists his problems and likewise lists

all that he has going for him. He is surprised at

the size of the list of his assets.

How long would your list be if you took inventory of your

blessings -- all of that for which you can give thanks? For

family. For friends. For faith. For health and the necessities of

life. Did you know that some one million people will die this

week...how is your health? Those who have food, clothing and

shelter have more than much of our world's population will ever

possess. Do you have these necessities of living?

How long would your list be if you took inventory of your

blessings...and added one new item daily? Would you be amazed at

the size of the list?

You have 1,140 minutes in every day. How would your life be

different if you spent just 15 of those minutes daily giving

thanks? Just 15 minutes filling your mind with concrete examples

of how fortunate you are? Most of us would discover even after a

few days that the exercise was life changing!

Poet Courtland Sayers put it this way:

Five thousand breathless dawns all new;

One million flowers fresh in dew.

Five thousand sunsets wrapped in gold;

One million snowflakes served ice cold.

Five quiet friends, one baby's love;

One white sea of clouds above.

One June night in a fragrant wood;

One heart that loved and understood.

I wondered when I waked that day --

In God's name -- how could I ever pay?

Christian mystic Meister Eckhart said, "If the only prayer you

say in your whole life is 'thank you,' that would suffice." I

suspect he is right.