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Thanksgiving year round
Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, do you feel any different? Do you feel a rush of thanks to God for all that He has provided, all that He's done, all that He's given?
I was contemplating this, just the other day and in days before Thanksgiving. It brought to mind the wonderful victory of this year's election. I know that President George W. Bush is in the White House now, because of all the prayers that went up on his behalf, from the Christians, world wide. God heard us and blessed us, yet again.
Let me ask you-Does your heart well up with praise to our Heavenly Father, that He's protected those that fight in our war? Yes, I know hundreds have died, but think back to wars in the past. Thousands upon thousands had given their lives for our great nation and while each soldier's death is a tragedy that strikes our hearts in pain, with our technology today the deaths are so much fewer than on past battlegrounds. For that we should be praising our Father.
Have you thanked God for where you live? That you can freely go about your lives, without a worry of an armed terrorist gunning you down in hatred, or being kidnapped to later be beheaded. That your children can play in their backyards without worry of bombs taking their lives or mass molestations taking place because of hatred to America.
Did you take a moment to thank God for the pleasures in your life? For your five senses, that you can smell, see, hear, touch and taste. Please don't take these for granted. You never know when one of these may be taken from you.
Are you thankful for your family? Are you thankful that you were raised in a strong Christian home and that you're not out wandering the streets begging for food, using sex as a weapon or to get something you want or need, because of the way you were raised?
Look around you. Do you praise God when an icy cold snowflake hits your nose, because you were given the gift of feeling, or do you grumble that it's snowing at all? Do you praise God when you hear the joyful strains of Christmas music filling the stores, that He gave you the gift of hearing? Or do you mumble beneath your breath as you pay for your gifts and hurry out into the cold, "It's Christmas already?"
Do you praise God for the food you are eating, as you shovel in the turkey, potatoes and bread, for the gift He's given of taste? Or do you hurriedly swallow, without giving mind to the millions of children around the world, who would give anything for just a crumb off your plate.
Do you turn up your nose at the unpleasant odor exuding off the homeless person who paid a visit your church, or do you give him a smile, your heart lifting in praise to God for the gift of smell?
Do you complain of the strain to your eyes, as you sit before your computer at work or do your eyes fill with tears of thankfulness, that you can see at all?
As we enter this Christmas season, let's not forget God's goodness. Never let Thanksgiving become just another holiday.
Article by-Jorene Haight
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