Thankfulness

We are not naturally bent toward thankfulness. Often we go all day and not once express our gratitude to anyone for anything. We grumble and complain about the least little thing and don’t even grunt if a wonderful acorn falls smack dab on our little pig-headed snout; to be exact we don’t even look up to see from whence it came.

I awoke this morning with one ear stopped-up and one eye almost matted shut (I think it is the same virus affecting both). Did I thank the Lord that I could still hear reasonably well out of the other ear, or still see out of both eyes even though one was not up to snuff? NO! I complained about the inconvenience. Pretty typical !

Now days I drive a lot; having taken on a part-time job with a bus line hauling people all over the country in one of those super-sized tin boxes on wheels that take up most of the road. I try to remember to pray before each trip that our Lord will give me wisdom, alertness, and the ability to get everyone there, and back again, safely.

If you know me you realize that I usually conk out on the sofa at about 9:00 PM or before. Seems that many of the trips require me to drive all night. Recently we left Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana about 4:30 PM, drove over six hundred miles, almost non-stop, and arrived back in the Memphis area just in time to see the sun come up. I asked the Lord to keep me awake and the group safe as we left South Bend, He did, I forgot. Shame on me! The Lord held up His end of the trip, I failed to be grateful.

How often do we forget to be thankful for all the good things that come our way? How often does our Lord make an escape route in hard times for us to follow? How often does He close a bad door for us only to open a good one in its place. Do we look up and say thanks? Most times, not.

I always remember the story of the guy on top of a two story house with a steep roof re-nailing the tin that covered that roof. As he was moving he began to slip down the steep slope. Immediately he called out for God to save him, keep him from sliding off the roof, and no doubt breaking legs and arms if not killing him altogether when he encountered the ground. As he cried out a nail still sticking up just a little caught the seat of his overalls and stopped his slide.

His words were, “Never mind, Lord this nail just caught me.”

Isn’t that just like us!

I hope this Thanksgiving Day we will all remember those nails that the Lord provided to kept us from sliding into hurt, sorrow and despair. I trust that I will be more sensitive to the times You drove that last hundred yards, Lord !

As we gather together in our own way, where we reside, or at some distant place, or sitting alone at a table with meager fare; may we all be Thankful To You Dear Lord, for all You have done for each of us!

May we be truly Thankful !

By Ralph R. Jones/ Editor ~ The Bodock Post