There's always something to be thankful for...

It's been a few days since my last update on this blog and for that I apologize.  It's been pretty hectic around here and I just haven't made the time to get this update done.  So I've decided to do something a little different this morning...

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

It's true...Thanksgiving is officially less than one week away.  And that means that Christmas is just about a month away.  It's crazy how fast this year has seemingly flown past! So perhaps it might be good for us to recount some of the blessings that we've enjoyed so far this year.  We should definitely do this more often because I believe we are greatly empowered when we praise God for our blessings. 

Paul here in Philippians says that we're supposed to bring all requests to God with thanksgiving.  It means that there are so many things around us to be thankful for all of the time that we should never run out of thankfulness!  When I lived in Denver, CO for a year, I had the chance to meet a man who seemingly had nothing going good for him.  This gentleman had more health problems than I could remember.  He was failing fairly fast.  He was getting older and couldn't get around at all anymore.  He relied on other people for nearly everything.  But there was something peculiar about him - he was thankful.  He was thankful that God had given him today, even though today hadn't been all that great.  He was thankful that he could breathe - even though his breathing was assisted by an oxygen tank that was cumbersome and had to be taken anywhere he went.  The man was nothing less than thankful. 

Perhaps we can learn something from Paul's words and the life of this man.  Perhaps the lesson to be learned is to look around us and find something everyday to be thankful for.  Perhaps from now until Thanksgiving we should make that a regular part of our prayer life - giving thanks to God for every situation and circumstance that we find ourselves in. 

What do you have today - to be thankful for?  Who are you going to share that with?

Lord, I have so many things for which I should give thanks.  Unfortunately this thanking thing just isn't part of my nature.  So thanks!  Thanks for all that you've given me, for all that you've done for me, for all that you've allowed to happen to me.  Help me to be more thankful today.  Amen.