Grateful

I can hardly believe it's just two days to Thanksgiving!  Where has the year gone?  Over on Facebook many people are participating in 30 days of Thanksgiving.  While I have not been a participant in that activity, I have enjoyed reading the posts and seeing the variety of things people are giving thanks for.  There are the expected posts.....thankful for family, friends, health.  There have been some more unusual ones as well.....thankful for high heels, for example.

I enjoy reading the posts.  I like that people are taking time to articulate the things they are thankful for.  But I'm wondering, as I always do when this activity comes around, why we need a Facebook challenge to remind us to be thankful.

I read a couple of unrelated articles recently that perhaps give some insight.  One article was about how ungrateful we Americans are, how prone we are to complain about everything.  The other was about how much less "religious" Americans are becoming.  I'm wondering if there might be a correlation between the two.  As we are less and less people of faith, less and less making even minimal connection between the God of the Bible and our everyday lives, does it automatically follow that we are therefore more and more ungrateful?  Something to think about.

As I am writing this post, there are reports of rockets being fired toward Jerusalem.  I am grateful that I am not hearing air raid sirens as I sit here in the comfort of my home.

Earlier today I saw reports about the continuing aftermath of Superstorm Sandy in the Northeast.  I am grateful that I have a warm home, plenty of food, electricity and water.

I am grateful for my church.  For a pastor who proclaims the truth of God's Word without apology.  For the fellowship of Christian brothers and sisters who so warmly welcomed us into the "family".

I am grateful for my family.  For the best husband ever!  For two wonderful sons, and the "daughters" I now call my own, and for two precious grandchildren.  I am grateful for my heritage of godly parents and godly grandparents.  For my brother and "sister", my nieces and their families, my cousins......this wonderful group of people that I am blessed to call family.

I am grateful for good friends.  For new friends and for those who have been part of my life for many, many years.  And for my sweet Molly, my little furry friend.

I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who loves me, who has called me to Himself through the person and work of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I am grateful for His written Word.  I am grateful to live in a country where I have access to multiple copies and multiple translations of that Word, and to multiple teachers and preachers of that Word to help me grow in my faith, to help me know my God, His works and His ways.

I could go on and on.  I am grateful for so many things......for beautiful sunsets, for coffee, for chocolate, for ice cream, for good books, for fresh air, for good health.  I am grateful for those of you who actually read what I write and offer your comments and encouragement.

So, at this season of Thanksgiving, and throughout the year, I'm giving thanks to my Father for blessing me so abundantly.  Truly my heart overflows with gratitude!

"Praise the LORD!  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting."  (Psalm 106:1 NASB)

"Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."  (James 1:17 NASB)