Thankful

This week our minds anticipate dinner preparations or long-distant travel plans; our stomachs hanker for plates full of turkey and pie; our hearts long for a return home, for time with family and friends, and tables surrounded with stories and laughter (even with parties of two or three).

To pause, reflect, appreciate, give thanks. Thanksgiving is a day set aside for just such an occasion. The whirling and rushing that usually distract our attention and steal our notice of everyday blessings are put on hold with the specific purpose of counting these often-overlooked gifts. A whole day for rejoicing, celebrating, and giving thanks—thanks to our Father in Heaven, the giver of all good gifts. Every blessing we have comes directly from His loving hand, straight from His merciful heart.

Giving thanks warms the heart and encourages the mind as we redirect our thoughts onto the presence of His goodness in our daily lives. Let’s have a heart full of thanks on this special day and carry it with us into all the days to come.

Psalm 100:4, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.”

Ponder your blessings and make a list. Then give thanks to the Lord.

And take a moment to tell the people in your life how grateful you are for them.

My sons made these bean candles years ago, when they were so little, and I bring them out every year. It's the simple things that truly bless our hearts.

This devotion was inspired by a page in my book, "Promise and Possibilities: Hope-Filled Devotions."

Promise and Possibilities

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