Giving Thanks to the Giver of All Good Things
I will be quite honest with you upfront: this was a very tough year for me, but also one filled with many joys and new opportunities. Each of you has likely encountered a mixture of pleasant and challenging situations. I believe in God’s providence, through which we receive both these joyous and not so joyous circumstances in life, and we can be grateful that He uses both for our growth and increased communion with Him. So, first and foremost I thank God for bringing me through these to another Thanksgiving season:
Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
This year I am thankful for what I have been learning about how my roles in life are changing and taking me in directions that perhaps were unanticipated, causing me to frequently reach out to God for help, and also to those He has so graciously placed in my circle of influence.
I continue to be thankful to be called an American. I believe that as a country, and as its citizens, we are still uniquely placed to have a positive impact in many areas and situations worldwide. We need to recognize that in spite of the negative rhetoric we often see in social media or news sources, many around the world still look to the U.S. as a place of freedom and opportunity unlike any other. We should be increasingly grateful to be called citizens of such a beautiful and bountiful country.
I am exceedingly thankful for my family and friends, both old and new. The latter includes many of you I have had the pleasure to meet and get to know at Legion Post 66.
I pray that each of you and your respective families are able to take a few moments to reflect on what you are thankful for during this season.
