The tree with the lights in it.

I was thinking yesterday about how often I pray, "Dear Lord, please help me to be thankful.", I was thinking about it, because I was on the verge of praying it again. I stopped before I started, because I was singing my favorite worship song, singing this line..."a thankful heart prepares the way for you my God", I had the thought that maybe God doesn't give us thankfulness, that's our gift to Him. So when it comes to prayer, I can ask for a new scooter, and makeup, but don't expect Him to wrap thankfulness in the gift box...I'll choose to be thankful upon realizing He's good to me, upon seeing He's faithful when I'm not, and upon Him reminding me that it's my choice to be thankful.

Annie Dillard wrote this amazing chapter in her wonderful book called Pilgrim At Tinker Creek, the chapter is called Seeing. In it she speaks of literal blindness, and the heightened senses that come along with it...she speaks of metaphorical blindness too, how of course the seeing take for granted their ability to sense a lot of things, for their dependence on their eyes. Really you should read the book, if not the book, just this chapter...because she'll make the point much better then I'm making an attempt at here...she shares this story about a young girl who was blind for her whole life, this girl had an operation that resulted in her regaining vision, before removing her bandages they took her out into a garden. Upon her first expereinces seeing, she spoke with excitement about "the tree with the lights in it".

I think my thankfulness is not only about seeing what God has done, but seeing it with excitement, and realizing the complete splendor even if that means saying things that proove my naiveness. I would think the Creator finds refreshment even in a simple minded exlaimation over the complex beauty His labor has produced.