Time to Give Thanks....

Isn't funny how we stop and remember giving thanks in November?  Of course, it's the month that we celebrate Thanksgiving, but is it something we should do only once a year?  Shouldn't we give thanks for everything that we got?  The other day it snowed 2 inches, and Sarita, who is 6, said "Well, it's winter and there's nothing to be thankful for."  She has a tendency to say whatever she is thinking, so I told her that there is always something to be thankful for.  I said we should give God thanks because we have a place to stay that keeps us warm and we have food to eat and don't have to worry about where the next meal will come from. 

Of course, for me, I think about how snow and how it gives us an opportunity to go sled riding!  I was also thinking that water has unique properties.  Most substances become more dense when they become a solid - but not water.  Water is at its densest when it is at 40 F (4 C), and then it starts to spread out and become less dense.  That allows ice to float. That allows snow to fall light and feathery.  Can you imagine what it would be like if water became more dense as a solid?  For one thing, snow would not be light and fluffy - we would probably have something like hail, but even more dense and probably cause a lot more damage than hail!  Ice wouldn't float, but would rather sink, which would make life totally different in our lakes, ponds, rivers, etc.

Too often we focus on what we don't have.  Too often we point out what is wrong, and don't take time to point out what is good and what is right.  I think about Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."  When we do, how can we not give God thanks for Who He is and for what He's done and for what's He's doing?

One tradition in our family is to make a tree on our refrigerator and place leaves on the tree for things that we are thankful to God about.  Tears came to my eyes when one of my kids took a leaf and wrote on it "babushka".  That's the name they called their grandmother.  It's been 10 months since she passed, and sometimes in modern day society we move on and don't want to remember things from the past.  His leaf put words to something as an adult I think about but don't put down for whatever weird reason.  So while my mom is not around now, I'm thankful for what that she, as well as my dad has done for us and has meant to us.  There is sadness, but there is thankfulness.  We can focus on what we don't have, or we can focus on what we have.  Thank you Lord, for Who You are and for what You've done!