Thankfulness in the small

         "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Col.3:17)
        That little phrase keeps floating around in my brain--"whatever you do."  Whatever you do--whether running errands, cleaning the bathroom, walking your dog, changing your child's diaper, caring for that aging loved one, folding the laundry, returning that phone call, raking the leaves--whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God..." 
        What unwelcome tasks, what odious chores, what repetitive, mundane, or annoying jobs are we excluding from God's "everything?"  Are we doing our every deed and speaking our every word to the glory of the Lord Jesus?  And are we choosing to do and to speak continually with thanks? 
        How about when the fellow in front of you at the stoplight pauses too long when it turns green (because, duh, he's looking at his phone)...so you miss the light...and now you're late?  Are you still choosing thankfulness that you have a car, that you can drive, that Christ is with you in that car, that you have places to go, that you are surrounded by brilliant scarlet-colored trees? 
        How about when the answer to your prayer seems to be "no" or at least "not yet"--do you thank the Lord that He hears and that His wisdom is infinitely greater than yours? 
        How about when you're just dog-gone tired, and you still have to get up and go through the whole, daily drill yet again--wake up the children, get them dressed, fed, ready for school and on and on--is thankfulness ruling in your heart or is there a spirit of complaining and discouragement taking root?
        I don't know about you, but I don't see any exception clauses in those words from God's Word.  Do and speak everything in the name of Jesus.  Give thanks to God in everything through Jesus.  Thankful in the big and the small. Thankful in the hard and the easy.  Thankful in the ordinary and the extraordinary.  Thankful in the rain and the sun. 
        Because here's the thing--thankfulness is a choice.  A daily choice.  An hourly choice.  A moment by moment choice to take what the Lord's has given and allowed and to choose to trust Him, acknowledge Him, and thank Him.  We have to choose to give thanks.  It's not about a la la feeling of thankfulness but an act of the will to choose to give it, no matter our temporary, ever-vacillating emotions.  No wonder it's called thanks-giving not thanks-feeling. 
        But here's the remarkable part--when we make the choice to give thanks and be grateful, the feelings often will come and contentment and joy will arise in our hearts.  And it begins by choosing gratitude even in the small, seemingly insignificant things of life. 
         I love how Mary Mohler puts it--
        "Being grateful for the small things is a great entry into turning our thoughts around and focusing them on the Lord. If we have a mindset of gratitude even while carrying out the routine tasks of our day, we will find we have fewer thoughts of complaint and self-focus."
         So in this season of thanksgiving, here's a little challenge for each of us--choose to give thanks in the small tasks and routine chores of your life.  Today, every day over the course of November, how about we make a conscious effort to thank Him --out loud--in those small things?  Maybe even write down each day at least one routine chore or task for which you're thankful to your Heavenly Father.  Who knows how He will use it--but know this for sure: you are obeying His Word and bringing glory to God.  Even in the small...maybe even especially in the small.  For He is in it all--thank You Lord!
          To God be the glory.