How much we have to be grateful for

For some reason I have always felt an inner cringe when people see some condition of poverty and say, "It makes me think about how much I have to be grateful for." Not knowing how else to respond, I usually just hmm. But today I was reflecting on the year long clothing fast I am about to complete in a couple months and the idea of gratefulness came up again.

Yes, I am grateful that I have a jacket to wear in the winter and clean underwear. I am grateful that if a hole rips in one of my shirts, I have others I can wear. But the result of this fast has not so much been to make me grateful for all that I have but to make me critical.

When I hear about a child in my neighborhood who does not have a winter coat, I am not immediately thankful for what I have. Instead I think of the three or four coats hanging in my parent's entry closet - the ones that have not been touched for years. When I look at another person's need I am not thankful for my comfort, but mindful of my excess.

This is not to say that I always respond in a practical way to the needs I see. There, I am quite guilty. Since I have not made a resolution this year, I will now resolve to respond practically to at least one need I see a month. Feel free to keep me accountable. And as always, feel free to make a counter argument. Perhaps you think I do not give due credit to thankfulness.