“Happy Thanksgiving. Look at the snow!” A little girl held her tongue out, trying to catch drops of new-falling snow.
“Be thankful for what?” An elderly man held fast to the park bench where he sat. He pulled his arms tightly around his chest and wadded his coat against his neck. “Ain’t nothin’ I can see to be thankful for,” he grumbled.
The girl smiled and held out her hands to catch a few snowflakes. “It’s Thanksgiving. Be thankful.” She spun in a circle, tripped, and fell into the old man.
“Watch it!” the old man growled as he lifted a foot to help the child stand.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall on you. But thank you. See, I have something to be thankful for. Y.O.U.” The child pressed her hand against the man’s cheek. “Y.O.U.” She smiled, then bounded off to play.
The man touched his fingers to his cheek, still feeling the warmth of the child’s touch. His heart filled, and he found himself brushing away a tear. It took the touch and acknowledgment of a child to remind him that he was cared for. He suddenly recognized what the child had done. She’d given him reason to be thankful. And he was.
The writer of the Psalms understood thankfulness. He could see all that God had done and continued to do for him from the beauty of the earth to the blessings of provision, and he offered his thankfulness to God. “I will magnify him with thanksgiving.” He honored God through his thankfulness, giving full credit to the Father for everything in his life.
Reach out to those around you. Recount the blessings you may have ignored or overlooked, and then be grateful. Our God is a loving God who cares deeply for His children. Praise His name. Be thankful. Magnify Him with thanksgiving for He is worthy of it all.
May your Thanksgiving be filled with the warmth and love of the Father.
Cindy K. Sproles is a best-selling, award-winning author. She is a speaker and a conference teacher who teaches nationwide. Cindy is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries, www.christiandevotions.us, and www.inspireafire.com. She serves as a writing mentor with WRAMS (Writing Write Author Mentoring Service) and is the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. Visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com.