I am currently being thankful for the most basic things I have today. You know, your basic daily living things – enough food, clean water, a roof over your head, food. I have thought about how my list of things would compare to a list made by someone in a third world country. Electricity, a door, my own room, my own house, a yard, a pet, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, a free education for my child and his peers, personal space, privacy! Just think, some don’t have a safe place to sleep or to relax.
What about comparing our list to someone here, in Kansas, who is homeless or less dramatically just living in poverty. As though the word “just” is even fair to apply! That means that when your kid grows taller they wear high water jeans. It means that your kid might not have the option for extra snacks between meals. It means that your growing boy doesn’t eat a breakfast at home and then again at school. It means that you aren’t going to eat out at all this week, no fast food, no nothing. It means that you might have to skip paying your electric this month so you can pay the bill you skipped last pay period. It means that your kids may not have received a gift for Christmas and won’t get their wish for their birthday. It means that you are worried about the price of gas going up – not because it will jack up your spring break vacation but because you might not be able to make it to work every day this week. It means that you look at the fresh fruit and vegetables at the grocery store but instead purchase a case of ramen noodles and the sale priced canned vegetables.
I could go on like this, but I’m pretty sure you’re with me. Let’s all do a better job of being thankful for all the daily gifts we receive!! Here are a few things I thought of that I am thankful for right now…
Clean air and water
Enough HEALTHY fresh food
My warm house
A washer and dryer in my home
A dish washer
My own bed
A well running vehicle to get to work
A job that pays the bills
Health insurance
All the medicine we need
What can you add to this list? What do you have that you might take for granted that someone else is missing? Do you have enough to share with someone else? How might you share it? A bag of groceries to the shelter? Your time to a child or an elderly person? What joy can you share? What basic need that you have in plenty could you pass along to someone today?
Our daily lives are an amazing blessing, let’s remember this and GIVE THANKS!! Then, LET’S SHARE!! Pass your blessings on to others as much as possible, together we can brighten the lives of others! My mom sent me this verse as a contribution to my pondering love and I love it!
1st John Chapter 3:18, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth!” So, first our praise and thanks in words for our blessings followed by our ACTIONS in sharing with others! Let’s do it!
Give Thanks and Share!!
~ Denise
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