Psalm 106:1 says, “Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” November is upon us, and for many of us, our minds start thinking about the season of Thanksgiving and those fabulous Thanksgiving dinner menus. At the top of the list will be turkeys. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) notes that more than 46 million turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving. It is estimated that Americans will also consume about 250 million pounds of potatoes during the holiday.
While we are busy planning for the big dinner, we may find ourselves thinking about having our family come together to share a meal and strategize about Black Friday Christmas shopping, watching sports, or even the Macy’s parade on television. Perhaps you are planning on doing a little deer hunting this season. Whatever you and the family will be doing, it is an excellent time for some serious conversation. It is a good time for families to reminisce about our loved ones who have passed away during the last year. It is an excellent time to check on a neighbor who is lonely this season because their family cannot make it home for the holiday due to other obligations. Regardless of whatever your celebration looks like this year, be sure to be thankful for living another year with your families.
In the Wagoner home, we use Thanksgiving as an opportunity to share something we are thankful for around the table. I often hear, “I am thankful for my family and friends,” or “I am thankful for my salvation.” All of those comments are honorable. The Scripture says in Psalm 107:21, “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.” When we praise God in this manner in front of others, we know God is pleased. Should we not always remember the good things God is doing for us? First Chronicles 16:8 says, “Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!”
Thanksgiving reminds me of the old church song, “Count Your Many Blessings,” by Johnson Oatman, Jr. in 1897. The song lyrics remind us to count our blessings and name them individually. As simple as the lyrics are, we soon realize that when we count our blessings and name them, we can spend all day seeing how blessed we are.
The fact we have homes, beds, groceries, medicines, family, friends, jobs, automobiles, the ability to walk, talk, see, hear, and smell are all just a few.
We have heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. We have children or grandchildren in our lives. We can go to church. We are saved. We pray. We live in America. The list goes on and on. Perhaps the old song is correct, “When upon life billows you are tempest tossed when you are discouraged thinking all is lost. Count your blessings every doubt will fly, and you will be singing as the days go by.”
I encourage you this season of Thanksgiving to pause and thank the Lord for your blessings. List them, count them, or tell someone how blessed you are.
Tell people how good God is to you.
Tell people how good God can be to them.
All of this helps us see and realize that God is always good. He is worthy of our praise even beyond Thanksgiving.
Nevertheless, Thanksgiving is a great place to start. Now, go ahead and count those blessings.
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