I’m going to confess to you that this is one of those seasons where, in a worldly sense, there’s a lot going wrong - one of those periods where you feel an inverse Midas Touch or an ever-looming curse.

One illustrative event occurred yesterday as I was dealing with numerous other stresses. Our upstairs toilet had been thoroughly clogged for a couple of days, and we had a plumber come out to fix it. In a boneheaded move on my part, the appointment I scheduled was with the kind of plumbing company looking for business near Thanksgiving - you know, the kind with massive overhead and eye-popping high charges.

For the sake of being able to have a usable toilet upstairs over the Thanksgiving holiday, I eventually agreed to pay an absolutely insane amount of money for them to fix the clog. Of course, the clog was entirely created through another (series of repeated) act(s) of boneheadedness. My third son, in an obsessive desire for cleanliness, had, unbeknownst to me, taken to using baby wipes and then “flushing” them down the toilet. The plumber had to remove mounds of wipes that created the clog.

Everywhere I look, I see an expense, challenge, obstacle, or something just straight up not working right.

But, that’s because I look at things through very flawed eyes.

Instead of anxiety over the clogging of the toilet and the unexpected expense in an expensive season, I should rejoice for the opportunity to look my son in the eye and tell him, in a very real world example of a significant mistake, that I love him anyway and no matter what.

Instead of lamenting persecution (and the headache that comes with it) that my organization and I are suffering at the hands of a leftist organization using their nearly billion dollars in endowment to stalk and harass us, I should rejoice that God has raised this ministry up for such a time as this and gifted us with an impact that is discouraging our adversaries.

And, instead of stressing over time constraints and demands, I should rejoice that God has given me a family, a thriving ministry, and boundless opportunities to impact the Kingdom in my time on earth.

The stresses of the holiday season are really a gift. The challenges in our work environment are really a gift. Family struggles? Praise God FOR your family!

And, while I have not figured out why God has cursed me year-after-year with really bad Auburn Football teams, I am sure there is a hidden blessing in there somewhere! (And, praise God for Auburn Basketball)!

Everywhere we look, even in the struggle, is a God who is working for our good!

This email is not to diminish real loss. I am mourning a friend - and a statesman - that we lost this week. His death has put me in a deep malaise, and I am truly sad. God’s desire is not for me to ignore that sadness. It is, however, for me to find a spirit of gratitude - for the privilege of knowing him, for the honor of being his friend, and with the knowledge that God used his time on this earth to positively impact so many.

That’s what makes this holiday so special. No matter our circumstances, we can find a spirit of gratitude.

Gratitude is one of the most positively infectious attitudes or attributes someone can have. When you meet someone filled with gratitude, it makes an impact. It leaves a mark. It reminds you to be more like that person!

This Thanksgiving - whether we are basking in numerous successes, still celebrating a big election victory, or even if we are inflicted with trials and melancholy - may we all find that spirit. May we all be filled with gratitude.

My family and I - now proud owners of a working toilet - would like to wish you and yours a very blessed and joyous Thanksgiving celebration!

With thanks,