ABSTRACT THURSDAY - THANKSGIVING

For what we are about to receive
May the Lord make us truly thankful.

A familiar Grace which is often said before meals here in the UK - and I am sure will be said in one form or another by our friends Across the Pond on this Thanksgiving Day as many of them gather with friends and family around a meal table.

But are we thankful only for the good things in life or do we give thanks for everything in our lives?

It’s often quite easy to be thankful when things are going well, but what about when life is falling apart, when someone we love loses their job, is seriously ill, or even when they die?  Should we be thankful for that too?  

As Christians, we are reminded in the Bible that we should give thanks no matter what - but that is so hard to do sometimes.  One of my favourite songs is “Blessings” written by Laura Storey when she and her husband were going through a traumatic time after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour.  You can listen to it here beautifully sung by Denita Craft - the whole song, but particularly these words always bring a tear to my eye:

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?

I wish all my friends Across the Pond a very Happy Thanksgiving and pray that the time spent with your family and friends will be a real blessing, and although we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in the same way over here, I pray that all my other friends will be truly blessed today. 

Be cheerful no matter what; 
     pray all the time; 
          thank God no matter what happens. 
This is the way God wants you 
     who belong to Christ Jesus 
          to live.
I Thessalonians 5 : 16-18
The Message

P.S.  With thanks, of course, to Mr. HCB for agreeing to be my model with his praying hands and for being a constant blessing to me.