All In A Days Grace

  Let's talk about thankfulness, but let’s talk about it honestly. It's easy for us—especially those of us in faith communities—to throw around phrases like "just be grateful" or "count your blessings." But let’s be real: sometimes life knocks the wind right out of you, and in those moments, the thought of being thankful feels like a bridge too far. Sometimes, we’re dealing with circumstances so heavy—grief, chronic pain, deep injustice, or unrelenting anxiety—that gratitude feels like a spiritual requirement we simply cannot meet. We need to acknowledge a critical truth: being thankful is not always easy, and it definitely does not solve every problem or instantly erase the pain. The Reality Check: Thankfulness Doesn't Mean Instant Easy When we choose gratitude in the midst of true hardship, we are not pretending the hardship doesn't exist. We are not saying, "This financial crisis is fine!" or "This grief doesn't hurt!...