By Brenda Groves
The Post Newspaper Contributing Writer
Well, another Thanksgiving Day is upon us.
I love to cook traditional favorites, but only once did I attempt to roast a whole turkey. With much advice, preparation and warning, “remember to take out the bag of giblets before you cook it,” the bird turned out delicious! Yea! A success.
Afterwards, our son was helping me clean the meat off of the bones, when suddenly I spied a strange object lodged in the cavity. As I extracted the forgotten neck bone I held it up and chuckled, “Look son, it came with its own laddel!!! LOL!
Whatever meals are being prepared it is important for me to prepare my heart with an attitude of gratitude for all that the Lord has done.
It is also important to sacrifice one day, as a Christian nation, to stop and honor God with thanksgiving.
God is our Creator and as a nation we should honor Him as such.
Here are some others who have agreed …
“Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor– and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.” (Opening quote from the Thanksgiving Proclamation signed by George Washington, President of the United States of America, October 3, 1789)
“We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown.” ~ Abraham Lincoln, at Thanksgiving time during the Civil War, 1863
“Unto no duty are we more dull and untoward, than to the praise of God, and thanksgiving unto him; neither is there any duty whereunto there is more need that we should be stirred up.” ~ David Dickson (Dick), Scottish theologian
“We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.” ~ Harry Ironside, American preacher
“Pride slays thanksgiving, but a humble mind is the soil out of which thanks naturally grow.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher, American preacher and reformer
And here’s my favorite of these quotes …
“Thou hast given so much to me, give one thing more, – a grateful heart; not thankful when it pleaseth me, as if Thy blessings had spare days, but such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.” ~ George Herbert, Welsh-born English poet
How can we honor God?
By recognizing Him as our Creator. Thanking Him for His goodness. By loving/respecting our families and neighbors. And I know this may sound like just an old Sunday school teaching but if we would just start treating others as we would want to be treated then we would be honoring God.
Also, respecting positions of authority is honoring God. Parents. Teacher. Pastor. Law enforcement. Governing authorities. (We don’t have to agree with them, and we are called to speak the truth of God’s word when it is being compromised, but we should respect the positions that they hold and not speak from a spirit of hate against that individual or platform. We should hate the deed but not the doer, because positions of authority are a Godly principle. Rom. Chpt. 13.)
“For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.” 2 Cor. 4:15
“I will wash my hands in innocence;
So I will go about Your altar, O Lord,
That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving,
And tell of all Your wondrous works.” Psalms 26:6-7
“Offer to God thanksgiving,
And pay your vows to the Most High.
Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” Psalms 50:14-15
You know, some of you reading this may be thinking, “I can’t think of much to be grateful for right now, my life is a mess.”
But there is always something, or rather Someone to be thankful for, it is a privilege to be able to give our Heavenly Father all the honor, praise and thanks ‘giving’ … forgiven … us His Son JESUS, Who died for our sins, and from whom all blessings flow …
Dear Readers, Have a very HAPPY AND BLESSED THANKSGIVING!!
Contact Brenda Groves at: bkgroves1996@yahoo.com
