The season of autumn, arrayed in all its glory, comes with a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving. A bright chorus of gold and orange and reddish leaves trumpet the amazing things that God has done and when we choose to see it, it comes alive in living color. We are grateful then for what we have been given and so we celebrate with friends and loved ones to declare the hope we have each day and the blessings we’ve received.
So, what is an image of gratitude? What one thing in your life causes you to feel grateful, to know for sure that you are blessed beyond measure? If you think about it here, you’ll have an easier time as you go around your Thanksgiving table defining something you truly feel grateful for. Of course, there’s never just one thing. At Thanksgiving we might share how much we appreciate the people at our dinner table who have been with us, supported us, loved us, and walked with us through all life brings. We might be grateful for mom’s apple pie, or our aunt’s squash casserole. It’s a wonderful gathering of people who know us well and love us despite our idiosyncrasies.
We might be thankful that our puppy has finally stopped chewing slippers or that our pets are such a gift to us. We could go on and on about our children and how much they have grown and blossomed into beautiful human beings. We may give praise for the friends who sustain us and laugh with us and who simply know us so well we are at home any time we’re together.
Some of us will remember difficult times and be grateful they are over. We’ll see how God’s hand was at work in our lives and how much we realize we couldn’t have come this far without His guidance and blessing. We appreciate that with God we can be authentic since there’s nothing about us God doesn’t know already. That means we don’t have to pretend to be anything but the one He designed.
If we were challenged to make a list of everything we are thankful for, we might find it humbling to see how much we have been given, how fulfilling and joyful our total existence is. We would probably note the little things that make a difference in our day, things like good coffee on a chilly morning, or moments of peace and quiet when we can reflect on life and love and what an honor it is to be a child of God. All of these things matter, and we are truly blessed.
For you, my dear friends, who support my work, who read my blogs, and buy my books and share my thoughts with others, for you, I am continually grateful. You inspire my heart with your sweet comments, and you give me a desire to try harder to do work that helps in some way. You give me purpose and strength and joy. I am ever so grateful for each of you! May God bless you over and over again!
Happy Thanksgiving!