Here’s to
my favorite holiday-Thanksgiving! It is
the one celebration where family and friends spend time together without the
pressure of exchanging gifts. We simply
enjoy associating with each other—laughing, playing games, and eating some of
our most favorite foods. The uplifting
of spirit through our recognition of blessings received is a reminder that we
need to be living in thanksgiving daily, not just one time a year.
A
grateful heart is not one which has to depend on wealth or health in order to
be happy. Interestingly, there is not a
one-to-one ratio between the happiness we enjoy and the “successes” of life we
own. Cicero said, “The grateful
heart is not only the greatest virtue but the parent of all the others.”
There are
three aspects of a grateful heart:
1.
an awareness of life’s blessings and their source
2.
an attitude of sharing—blessings multiply as we
share them with others
3.
a sense of obligation to give back to the future
for all the sacrifices inherited from those who went before us; when we serve
others, it is not a bestowal of favors but paying a debt; our liberties,
privileges, homes, schools, churches and wonders of science with their infinite
blessings have been achieved by men and women mostly unknown to us
Much of
Christ’s story on earth is revealed in His expression of thanksgiving and
appreciation for the “little” things in life.
He talked about the beauty of the wildflowers, a cup of water, the
thoughtfulness of those who were kind to the hungry and ill, the talents which
were used well, the widow’s mite, and many other token examples.
Just as
Cicero said the grateful heart is the greatest virtue, Christ said a lack of
gratitude is the greatest sin. When we
forget to give thanks then we open ourselves to greed, covetousness, and a host
of other failings. Life itself is an
entrustment from God, and everything we know and have has the mark of His
handiwork on it. Acknowledge His hand in
all things, and you won’t be found “wanting” in the balance at any time.
I invite
you to list some of your blessings on the sheets of a small POST-IT note
pad, then slip them into a little bag so you can remove and review them frequently
in “THANKSLIVING” this month. You'll be surprised at how much you have to be thankful for!
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