Having a roof to live under is a luxury. Having ample food on your table every day is luck. And above all, having a family to care for you is a blessing. The unconditional love of a family is something we should all be thankful for, notwithstanding the messes we make, the chores we complain about, the heartbreak we experience, and the distances that separate us. Let us all express our gratitude to the Lord, for having given us a comfortable house for us to live in and a warm family that makes it a home.
Lord, thank you for this sink of dirty dishes;
we have plenty of food to eat.
Thank you for this pile of dirty, stinky laundry;
we have plenty of nice clothes to wear.
And I would like to thank you, Lord, for those unmade beds;
they were so warm and comfortable last night.
I know that many have no bed…
My thanks to you, Lord, for this bathroom,
complete with all the splattered mirrors,
soggy, grimy towels and dirty lavatory;
they are so convenient.
Thank you for this finger-smudged refrigerator
that needs cleaning.
It has served us faithfully for many years.
Thank you, Lord, for this oven that absolutely
must be cleaned today;
It has baked so many things over the years.
The whole family is grateful for that tall grass
that we all enjoy in the yard.
My kids are healthy and able to run and play.
Lord, the presence of all these chores awaiting me says
You have richly blessed my family.
I shall do them cheerfully and I shall do them gratefully
Even though I clutch my blanket and growl
when the alarm rings,
Thank you, Lord, that I can hear.
There are many who are deaf.
Even though I keep my eyes closed from the morning light
as long as possible,
Thank you, Lord, that I can see. Many are blind.
Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising,
Thank you, Lord, that I have the strength to rise.
There are many who are bedridden.
Even though the first hour of my day is hectic,
when socks are lost, toast is burned and tempers are short,
my children are so loud,
Thank you, Lord, for my family.
There are many who are lonely.
Even though our breakfast table never looks like
the pictures in magazines
and the menu is at times not balanced,
There are many who are hungry.
Even though the routine of my job is often monotonous,
Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to work.
There are many who have no job.
Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day
and wish my circumstances were not so modest,
Thank you, Lord, for life.
