Thanksgiving

Philippians 4:6 Living Bible,  "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and DON'T FORGET TO THANK HIM FOR HIS ANSWERS."  (Words in all caps are for emphasis.)

      We have just celebrated a national thanksgiving holiday when we focused on how blessed we are, as we do once a year.  However, in a sense, every day should be Thanksgiving Day when we take time to be mindful of just how good God is to us.

      Not only do we owe God our gratitude, but having grateful hearts can be very important for our health and well being.  In an article entitled "Habits of Healthy, Happy Women" in the December 2012 issue of "Good Housekeeping" magazine Sarah Mahoney states,  "In case you missed the news that reflecting on your blessings is like Miracle-Gro for your mental health, a new English study reports that keeping a daily gratitude list reduces anxiety as well as therapy does."

      The incomparable Charles Spurgeon writes about the attitude of gratitude in these poetic words,  "Earth should be a temple filled with the songs of grateful saints, and every day should be a censer smoking with the sweet incense of thanksgiving."

      Lamentation 3:23 reminds us that God's mercies to us are new every morning, and for that reason our prayers of praise and gratitude should flow to heaven's King every day of the year!

Thank You, Father, for all Your goodness to us.  Amen.