Being Thankful

Many years ago I heard a pastor say in a sermon, “A perennial attitude of thankfulness will build a great soul.” I never forgot that.

I knew such a thankful soul. He lived in the community where we were once ministers. He was a retired Methodist pastor, author and published poet. We were invited to his 95th birthday celebration. He said, “I wanted to live to 95. I thought for a long time about what I would say to the Lord on the morning of my birthday. It had to be one of the most important things I ever said.”

“I woke on the morning of my birthday. The Lord was with me. I opened my mouth to speak, but the words would not come. On the morning of my birthday, in the presence of the Lord, all I could manage to say was ‘thank you, thank you, thank you.’”

What profound wisdom! Moses, who was certainly a wise man, tells us in Psalm 90, “So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

We in America are so privileged, so blessed. We have so much of everything. The poorest among us have more than many people in the world. Most of us have family, a car, a cell phone, a home, and food to eat. And many more blessings besides.

The Psalmist says, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord” (Psalm 92:1).

Judy Malone