Every year, at Thanksgiving, most Americans count our blessings. I find it interesting that other countries don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. Did you ever wonder why not? Perhaps it is because so many other countries are not as blessed as we here in the United States. We may struggle, have homeless and hungry, and we, too, have crime and gangs, but we have choices.
FREEDOM to Choose
Freedom to Choose is often taken for granted. It may only be heard in the battle cry of women’s rights, but we all have the choice of where to live how to live what education and job we want. Sometimes, we have too much freedom. So many people in the world are left without choices, without freedom to choose.
Such is the life I have chosen
I don’t have much, but I choose what I do have. I may not have a million-dollar income, but I chose the route of my education, profession, and of my spending. When my job duties drove me crazy and I drowned in stress, I could tell myself “such is the life I have chosen.” I knew if I didn’t like it, I could choose to do something else. And at times I did choose to change my life. Other times, when I wasn’t happy, I asked myself, ”What are you going to do about it?” And so I either did something to change my life and make myself happy, or I learned to accept the life I had chosen.
The Serenity Prayer
The Serenity Prayer is attributed to Reinhold Nirbuihr (1892-1971), but Winnifred Crane Wygal wrote a version dated 1933 and is quoted : ”God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”
The original prayer (1933) read: Father, give us courage to change what must be altered, serenity to accept what cannot be helped, and the insight to know the one from the other.”
Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-Step Recovery Programs have adopted the prayer and it is used successfully to bring the stressed and confused world of addicts to the realization they have a choice. WE have a choice in the lives we live. Even those who reside in American prisons.
Strive to be like the Apostle Paul as he says, while in chains, in his letter to the Philippians 4:11-13 NIV: 11) I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12) I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13) I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”
Many other countries may not have the full version of freedom that Americans enjoy, but they, too, can find peace in the truth of this prayer. We can choose to change what we can and accept what we cannot.
Do you have circumstances you can change? Or will you find peace in accepting your circumstances?
Count Your Blessings
I pray your Thanksgiving finds you counting your blessings whether in America or abroad.
Remember, you are at the right place when you come to my website and read my blog. Come on back and share a slice of life with me.