The Other Thanksgiving

So here I am post Thanksgiving and pre Christmas. I have been a part of various Thanksgiving celebrations and participated in a variety of traditions. It seems that most of the traditions not related to food and football have centered around some form of expressing thanks for what we have. These are often considered to be "blessings" or "gifts."
But as I came through a series of events and conversations this past Thanksgiving I became aware of a different kind of blessing. The blessing of what I do not have. So while I am blessed to have food I am also blessed to not have hunger. I have friends and do not have loneliness. But this concept is not just limited to labeling the negative or opposite of every good thing I have. Because of Jesus and His work in my life, there are things that I simply do not have that without Him I would. I do not have confusion about identity. I do not have lack of purpose. I do not have hopelessness. I do not have certain addictions and their associated pain and loss. I do not have a blown budget and the burden of debt, even if I also do not have the income and pile of toys I sometimes think would be nice.
I heard an "old timer" - which probably means I heard somebody my age only I heard them a long time ago when I was younger - talk about what God saves us from and what God saves us to. I have been reminded this holiday season that what I do not have may be as big a blessing as what I have.