by ALCAP | Thursday, December 12, 2013
Most of us are thankful for a variety of special and personal concerns, but we also hold apparent gratitude for something uniquely ours. Daniel Webster thanked God just for the blessing of being an American. George Matheson, the blind Scottish pastor, apologized to God for not being thankful for his “thorn in the flesh,” while Mark Twain says through one of Huckleberry Finn’s characters: “Let us be thankful for fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed.”
Thanksgiving is not just a national holiday; it is the heart of the Christian life. It is the portrayal of a deep seated appreciation for all of life. Attitude is the beginning point. Little children could do much to teach us this perspective. Listen to them pray. They thank God for everything – sunshine, grass trees, food, homes, moms and dads. They fully understand everything is a gift from God.
Attitude ought to produce action. Thanksgiving involves what we say and what we do, our words and our ways. We ought to express thanksgiving by lip and life. One without the other is hollow. Both evidence the spirit of gratitude everyone rejoices to see. Let’s share it throughout this wonderful season.
