Thankful Thoughts

It's the time of year our thoughts turn to "thanks giving".  That is, if you can close your eyes to the Christmas decorations and shut out the Christmas music.  For some reason the retailers want to jump right from Halloween to Christmas, and we are given very few reminders of the presence of Thanksgiving Day sandwiched between the two.

Many people like to maintain a daily log of things for which they are thankful during the month of November.  Last year I attempted to do so, but this year we were almost a week into the month before I realized it.  They say time goes faster the older you get, and I'm certainly finding this to be true.

Since we are now one week away from the official Thanksgiving Day, I thought I would take a few moments and reflect on things for which I am thankful.  There are the "Three F's" - Faith, Family and Friends, which cover a lot of territory.  I count it a blessing to be living in a small, rural town in North Dakota, but also am thankful for the opportunity my husband and I have to move temporarily to a bigger city, our state capitol, Bismarck.

I'm thankful for the strength God gives me to get through each day.  It seems in retirement my days are busier than ever, and often my life needs refueling by the time nightfall comes.  I am thankful for a warm and cozy bed, protected by a beautiful home, which allows me to get the necessary sleep to regenerate my body.

It is humbling to realize how abundantly blessed those of us who live in the United States are.  Although I do not have a name to attribute this quote to, I've always liked it:



 

The Bible verse which come to mind is a simple one:

 

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;

His love endures forever."

 

As often happens, I wasn't sure of the reference for the verse, so did an Internet search to find it.  What I discovered was these exact words are recorded in four different places.  In 1 Chronicles 16:34, it is part of a passage which has, in my Bible, the heading "David's Psalm of Thanks".  The other three are all in Psalms. . .107:1, 118:1 and 136:1.  Since most of the Psalms are  also attributed to David, we can be safe in assuming he was a man who felt giving thanks was important.

 

How about you?  Are you wanting to follow David's example?  He is, after all, remembered as a man after God's own heart.  Seems to me we would be in pretty good company if we joined him in giving thanks to the Lord!  And, yes, He is good and His love endures forever!