Thanksgiving Thoughts

I can expect a Thanksgiving "wake-up call" every year. This time it happened Monday morning. The setting on the toaster got switched and my English muffin wasn't as crisp as I like it. You have to understand, I am creature of habit when it comes to breakfast: Oatmeal with a touch of brown sugar, a banana, an 8 oz. glass of milk and a well-toasted English muffin. That morning I was the one who was well-toasted. My muffin was soft and soggy. Where were the crispy nooks and crannies I treasure?

Then came the wake-up call. There was no mother there to remind me of the starving kids in Africa that are going hungry, but I still heard the voice. I guess it was God's way of reminding me how blessed I am. Nothing like a heavy dose of "keeping things in perspective."

I was re-visiting one of Max Lucado's books last night in trying to get my heart ready for Thanksgiving. In chapter 9 of The Great House of God, Max focuses on The Kitchen. He recalls a wall hanging with the fourth petition of the Lord's Prayer. "Give us this day our daily bread." In our self-serving, "Give Me" world it's easy to look at our blessings as something we deserve. Max reminded me that those words need to be kept in the context of the first three petitions. We have an awesome and powerful God who has met our greatest need. We have a Savior and can pray for the coming of his kingdom. Why wouldn't the God who has met our greatest and most eternal need not meet our daily needs as well? For that he deserves our thanks and praise not just this day, but every day.

As adults that is the message we need to share through our actions. It is so easy for our kids to get caught up in the self absorbed culture of our current world. We want and expect the best and the newest. When the world doesn't meet our needs the way we would like, we sulk. That's the wrong message to send this day especially. I am, of all people, especially blessed. I live in a great country, have an loving family and great friends. Most of all I have an awesome Savior. The frosting on the cake is the turkey on the table.