Today, I’m Thankful — Even in a Hard America

A quick reminder that if you’ve got shelter and food, you’re already ahead of most of the world.

I’m up bright and early today (again, no clue why), I’m touching up this week’s articles. A little behind….my co-author, Mello, isn’t much help:

Ugggh. Good help is impossible to find.
Especially when your “assistant” is a dog who only works for beef jerky. But look at him… hE’s SuCh A GOod BooOOyy 🐶

Okay, sorry…...Moving on.

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What is it? Oh, just something wildly irresistible this season… a subscription to us.

Honestly? It’s probably better (and definitely cheaper) than whatever you’ve got sitting in your Amazon cart right now. Just saying. 😄

I found myself standing in the kitchen, halfway between checking the stove and daydreaming. You ever have those weird slow moments where your brain finally stops sprinting long enough for you to actually notice your life?

That was me.

Here’s What I Noticed

I’m comfortable, the house is warm, and I have coffee in my hand.

My ceiling fan is doing that quiet “tick…tick…tick” thing again and there is the low hum of the heated air flowing through the central vents.
Meanwhile, my dogs (yes, plural—surprise secret unlocked) are sprawled out on their little cots acting absolutely worn out, like they just clocked out of a 12-hour shift. The hardest thing they did today was step outside, shiver dramatically, and pee in the cold.

And for a minute, I just stood there thinking, I’m thankful for this.
I don’t mean a “Pinterest-perfect gratitude journal” kind of way.
Just a simple, honest wave of appreciation.

(Hidden clue there….what is it? More to come….until then it will remain a mystery 🤫)

Because the truth is, this country feels heavy right now. Everything seems unstable. You hear about layoffs every week. Families losing homes. People picking up second jobs. Grocery bills that make you feel like you somehow fed an army even though you walked out with three bags.

You can’t go a whole day without hearing some new phrase on the news:
“Cost of living crisis.”
“Record inflation.”
“Americans struggling to make ends meet.”
“Companies tightening back.”

This isn’t hype. It’s people’s real lives.

Folks are fighting to stay afloat.
Some are wondering how long their job will last.
Others are choosing between medicine and groceries — literally.

So yeah, standing in my warm house today, it all hit me harder than usual.

I’ve got a roof that keeps the cold out.
Food — even if I burn it sometimes.
A bed to sleep comfortably in.
And, people in my life who care enough to check on me.
Above everything else, I’ve got God… and salvation I did absolutely nothing to earn.

When you add all that up, it’s a lot.

And here’s the part that gets me:
If you have those same things, you’re actually doing better than most of the world — even if it doesn’t feel like it.

We get so caught up in the grind that we forget how rare “the basics” really are.

A warm house? Millions don’t have that.
Steady meals? Millions don’t know where their next one is coming from.
A job? Many are praying just to get an interview.
Clean water? You’d be shocked how many countries can’t even promise that.

We complain about slow Wi-Fi while some families sleep in cardboard.
Stress about grocery prices while other nations fight over rice.
Wish we had “more,” not realizing we already have what most people are desperate for.

And I’m not shaming anybody — life is stressful, and feeling overwhelmed is human.
But being thankful doesn’t ignore the stress…
it just keeps it from swallowing you whole.

Gratitude is kind of like a reset button.
It doesn’t erase the bills or fix the country or magically turn your job into your dream job.
But it brings your heart back down to earth.

It shifts your focus from “I don’t have enough” to “Wow… I actually have a lot.”

And in a world that constantly shouts “you’re behind!”… gratitude whispers, “you’re blessed.”

So yeah, today I’m thankful.

My life isn’t perfect.
This country sure isn’t perfect.
But if you’ve got shelter, food, people who care, and the Savior who sees you…
you’re richer than you think.

And that’s worth slowing down for — even if it’s just for a moment standing in the kitchen, listening to the heater rattle and sipping on coffee.

From the publication team, Happy Thanksgiving!

- The Narrow Path Collective

Mark & Kali Hamilton.