I hope you don’t mind a little ancient history on this day before Thanksgiving. When I began to talk as a toddler, my parents taught me to say thank you whenever anyone gave me something or did something nice for me. When I would forget, my mother would gently remind me, “What do you say?” For more than seven decades those two words have crossed my lips countless times each day. Normally, words repeated so often, almost automatically, quickly begin to lose their meaning; but I still sincerely mean them every time I say them. That’s because my parents were not just teaching me to be polite; they were teaching me to be appreciative. There is a big difference and I could never thank them enough for showing me how to fill my heart with gratitude.
I currently have three caregivers. Two of them come twice a week and one of them once a week; so I have help every weekday thanks to the Veterans’ Administration and Catholic Charities. They are paid to look after my needs and because it is their job, I could take their help for granted; but I can’t do that. I thank them for each thing they do and as they prepare to leave I thank them again for all they did for me that day. I believe my sincere appreciation has made them even more caring. Within a short time we have become connected, like family. I am still in touch with two former caregivers that I love like sisters.
As we prepare for our national Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow with so many restrictions and health concerns this year, it could be hard for us to concentrate on the things for which we should be thankful. Personally, I could become depressed when I think it has been eight years since my wonderful wife cooked Thanksgiving dinner with me giving her a hand in the kitchen. We would then enjoy that wonderful meal together, giving thanks to God. We would also enjoy the delicious leftovers for a week or so. Instead of being sad about those memories, I become so grateful for all of the holidays we shared throughout our married life. My gratitude leaves no room for sadness.
As Christians, we know who to thank for all of the blessings we enjoy. The question is; do we thank Him often enough? Do we wait for Sunday worship or a special holiday to give thanks to God; or do we thank Him every time He does something for us? As for me, I thank Him every time I’m able to stand. I thank Him for walking with me beside my walker and I thank Him again when I get safely to where I’m walking. Whenever something good happens, I look up and say, “I know that was you Lord, thank you.” Every time I pray, I thank God for all of the wonderful people He has put in my life over my lifetime, including those caregivers I mentioned earlier.
I’m thankful for you as you read this blog post. You may not have a national Thanksgiving holiday where you live, but all of us can, and should, make every day a day of appreciation and thanks. God bless each and every one of you.