22 Oct 2014 Be thankful!

by Marilyn Mathis

“It is good to give thanks to the LORD . . .”
Psalm 92:1

A week before Thanksgiving, a second-grade teacher asked her students to write about the reasons they are thankful. One young boy wrote: “Im thankful for my har becuas I dont want to be bald and Im thankful for my clos and shooz so I want hav to go to scool nakd and Im thankful for my belt so my pants wont fall down.”

His spelling definitely needs work, but not his attitude. He is an example to us of someone who is thankful for the essentials and not just the extras.

Psalm 103:2 says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits.” None means “not any.” The psalmist tells us to be thankful for ALL of God’s blessings and provisions, the big and the small.

When was the last time you were thankful for your hair, clothes and belt — for the simple things of life? In today’s busy world, we take so much for granted. We rarely take the time to stop, think and be thankful for the blessings that are an essential part of our everyday lives. Such as:

Kleenex — so handy to dry dripping noses and tearful eyes.

Hummingbirds — I wish I had their energy.

Cute puppies and kittens

A fluffy cloud

Clean sheets — oh my!

Indoor plumbing — my grandmother had a well and a path.

Toilet paper — have you considered the alternative?

Clean water — have you seen the shows on TV of children drinking filthy water?

Electricity — just flip a switch.

Flashlights and candles — so useful when the power goes off.

A smile

Laughter

Safety pins and needles

A good book — and time to read it.

Scented soap

Cards — someone is thinking about you.

A comb and brush — looking good!

Worms for fishing — not my thing really.

Music
_______________ What would you add to the list?

Are you smarter than a second-grader? That young man is thankful for everyday blessings — the essentials!

“O Jesus our Lord, Thou ruler of all,
Thou art ever true, whatever the call;
Be Thou our defender in all time of stress,
And help us live daily in true thankfulness. Amen.”

—Edwin McNeely

A Conway resident, Marilyn Mathis is a wife, mother, Nana and teaching leader for First Wednesday Lunch Break. Readers can reach her at [email protected].