My daughter and son-in-law raised this bird for our Thanksgiving dinner. All 29 pounds of him will, hopefully, fit in our oven and feed the smiles of family gathered around our table. I'm excited to thank God for His blessings.
But am I really thankful? I am commanded to be ALWAYS thankful for ALL things, yet some days I'm guilty of hanging my head low and murmuring words of misery to God and the world. Are you guilty as well?
My quest to stop belly aching and start obeying and commence living a life of continual thankfulness to God took me to Ann Voskamp's book, one thousand gifts. Wow! Her words pierced my heart.
I share from my journal Ann's thoughts regarding our unthankfulness and God's commands to give thanks for everything:
"I enter the world like every person born enters the world: with clenched fists."
"Is the height of my... joy dependent on the depths of my ... thanks?"
"Thanksgiving is the evidence of our acceptance of whatever He gives. Thanksgiving is the manifestation of our Yes! to His grace."
"... I was saved and had said my yes to God, but was really living the no....Because I wasn't taking everything in my life and returning to Jesus, falling at His feet and thanking Him...."
"How in the world, for the sake of my joy, do I learn to ... overcome my ... ugly and self-destructive habit of ingratitude ... with the saving habit of gratitude--that would lead me back to deep God-communion."
"With an expiration of less than twelve hours, what does Jesus count as all most important? 'And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them...'" (Luke 22:19).
I hope Ann's thoughts give you pause this Thanksgiving as you break bread and thank God for it. It's easy to thank Him when our tummys are full and our Thanksgiving turkey is stuffed. On days not so plentiful, may we remember to fall at His feet and thank Him.
Blessed Thanksgiving, dear friends! May each day be a splash of serenity to you. I do thank God for you!
Elaine
Boy! You said it (or Ann did)! And if we keep in mind everything that happens is for the good, there is reason to give thanks for it all!
ReplyDeleteElaine,
ReplyDeleteYour blog is thought provoking and an encouragement for us all to slow down and truly reflect on our lives and if we are thankful. That book title keeps popping up, I believe it is moving closer to the top of my reading list. :) Thank you for the teaser about this wonderful book once again. I was going to ask for it for Christmas but I might have to find it sooner.
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Lisa :)
I've also lately been overwhelmed with my lack of gratitude toward our Lord, because I was reminded (by a show about quantum physics, of al things!) how much we rely on Him for everything, even our moment to moment existence. And yet I presume to whine about things that really don't matter at all in the long run. He is such a good God.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to the Millers!
ReplyDeleteI'm so thankful I live in this country. But I'm most thankful for Jesus and the peace he affords through life's toughest trials.
ReplyDeleteHave a great Thanksgiving, Elaine, even though you're eating one of your family's pets!