Thank You, God, for the Silly Things
Maybe this is a poor title, but I’ll probably use it for a handful of non-consecutive days.
I once took part in an icebreaker activity—you know, those things at the beginning of a meeting designed to help a group get to know each other better and (hopefully) talk more. The question was: “What is the most boring thing about yourself that you get excited about?” That’s kind of how I think about some of the silly things in life. They don’t necessarily make us unique, but they make us more ourselves.
So today is a small collection of things I am thankful to God for.
Thank You, God, for Silence.
This isn’t to say that I believe God is silent in my life—quite the contrary. So maybe a better word here is solitude. Sometimes, I just need quiet. It starts as time with my thoughts, hopefully moves to moments when I’m not thinking about anything at all, and usually circles back around to games of what if. What if I did this? What if I tried that? How would this affect my life, ministry, family, etc.?
Solitude or silence helps me think more clearly, sparks my imagination, and makes me a less overwhelmed person. It also allows me to take a break from myself and my distractions so I can listen to God’s call on my life. Maybe that’s why I love being outside—it pulls me away from distractions. I can drive for hours without the radio on, and I often joke (though maybe it’s not a joke) that when I retire, I’m going to spend the first couple of months just staring at the wall. We’ll see if that happens.
Thank You, God, for the Shape of Trees.
At first, I thought about simply thanking God for trees. That would be true—I’m a big fan of oxygen, after all. I also love anything made out of wood. Trees are beautiful. Trees are unique.
But what excites me most is their shape. It’s kind of like how kids—or grownups—see shapes in the clouds. Trees can do the same thing. They can seem to reach up to heaven and down to us at the same time. They can look like they’re holding hands. They can stretch toward the sun, dance in the wind, take root in impossible places, or grow sideways just to survive.
Two things about trees have excited me lately: walking through a forest of evergreens and feeling the soft pine needles underfoot, and looking out the parsonage window to see the glimmer of a lone birch tree standing out among the others.
I also grew up hiking with my family. And I found a picture from my memory. Wolf Creek State Park has a tree unusual enough to have a trail named after it. Above is the Unusual Tree on aptly named Unusual Tree Trail at Wolf Creek State Park.
Thank You, God, for Pen and Paper.
I write quite a bit, and most of it ends up on a computer. But there’s something about the tactile feel of pen on paper. When I type, my thoughts spill out so quickly that I don’t always stop to reflect. Writing by hand slows me down—it gives me time to process what’s happening, what has happened, and what should come next.
And if I had to pick a pen that makes me a little more unique and a little happier, I’d choose a fountain pen. There’s something about the connection to an old piece of technology—something once common but now rare—that I love. It also requires a little more mindfulness in how I write.
Final Thoughts
So thank you, God, for the things that may not make me one of a kind, but definitely make me me.
What are you thankful for that might not make someone else’s list?
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