I ran into our friend Ruth a few weeks ago and asked if she had anything up her sleeve that she would like to share with us. As is usually the case with me, I forgot to follow up. But I was thrilled to receive this in my in-box and am happy to share.
Thanksgiving. Thankfulness. A command. “Give thanks in all circumstances…” Why? Most likely because it’s good for us. It gets our eyes off of ourselves and onto something larger. A good thing both in times of plenty and times of hardship. Whether we’re celebrating or wallowing, the power of thankfulness is hard to deny.
Thanksgiving Thoughts 2013
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million that will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a religious meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than 3 billion people in the world.
If you have a refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the world.
If you have money in the bank or in your wallet and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world‘s wealthy.
If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over 2 billion people in the world who cannot read at all.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
The purpose of Thanksgiving is to be thankful, as compared to just full.
(I shortened this list by Dr. Bob Hoffman, of The Masters Circle, and to his added two of my own.)
If you have children, they’re one of your greatest gifts from God. You’re blessed!
Children are a heritage from the Lord. offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them…”
If you believe Jesus Christ is God’s son, that He sacrificed himself to save you and rose from the dead to conquer death; you have life eternal and will never be separated from God or His people. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (II Cor. 9:15)
I feel especially grateful for you! Happy Thanksgiving!
With love,
Ruth
… and one more thought, this one from Jim Denison posted today:
It’s hard to thank someone else for work we did ourselves. We can be polite, pausing for a moment of appropriate gratitude, but all the while we know we worked hard to do what we do and have what we have. Let’s examine this attitude for a moment.
Did you deserve your physical health and capacities? Your body is made of 100 trillion cells, of which 300 million die every minute. Your brain possesses 100 billion nerve cells. Each square inch of your skin contains 20 feet of blood vessels; placed end to end, your body’s blood vessels would measure 62,000 miles. That same square inch of skin has an average of 32 million bacteria on it. Every year 98% of the atoms in your body are replaced. And when you sneeze, all your bodily functions stop—including your heart. Did you design or create the physical capacities you are using right now?
…Doesn’t your Maker and Savior deserve a day of gratitude? In fact, doesn’t he deserve a lifestyle of thanksgiving?
Here’s to a day of thankfulness. Thanks for walking the road with me.
-Kay
Now go EAT! :)
