Today is thanksgiving. It is a day for expressing gratitude. But before we express what we are grateful for, we want to remember who we are grateful to. We give thanks to God because it is through him that we have everything we have. Without him, we would have nothing. Make sure, amidst the busyness of this day, to set aside some time of quiet to offer a prayer of appreciation to him.
In my Thanksgiving Eve message to our church last night, I encouraged everyone to write down the things they are thankful for. I offered four categories and encouraged everyone to come up with five things for each category. The categories were:
- Poeple
- Opportunities
- Experiences
- Things
Here is my list.
People
People come first. I am thankful for:
- Barbara
- Abby
- Thomas
- Jacob
- You (whoever you are, wherever you are, however we may know each other or be connected, even if you are just taking a few moments to read this.)
Opportunities
Opportunities are the things that God enables you to do. I am thankful:
- To celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, sharing a traditional Thanksgiving meal. I am looking forward to the turkey. And my favorite side dish is gravy with my mashed potatoes.
- To write this and that I can share this with you. I am sometimes amazed that anyone takes the time to read what I have to share.
- To serve as a pastor in the times in which we live. The mission of God is so important right now. I am grateful that God trusts me to figure out ministry in such uncertain times.
- To run and move and breath. I am thankful for my good health and that I can physically exert myself and exercise. After I post this, it is time to do a Turkey Trot.
- To make music. I am blessed that I learned to play the guitar and can offer songs of praise to God.
Experiences
Experiences are moments of the past which you treasure. They are accomplishments that make you proud. I am thankful:
- For the places I have been able to travel in my life (both internationally and nationally).
- For the places I have lived (Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Jerusalem Israel, Virginia, New Jersey).
- For the churches I have served as a pastor — Bethany, Waynesboro, Virginia; Lord of Life, LaFox, Illinois; and Good Shepherd, Old Bridge, NJ.
- To have written two books and have one that topped the Amazon Best Seller list in Christian Devotions.
- I am thankful I saw the Chicago Cubs win a World Series in my lifetime.
Things
Things come last, but it is nice to have things. And we don’t want to take these things for granted. Keep in mind that all these things are temporary. I am grateful for:
- My gadget toys — my MacBook, iPad, iPhone. I am amazed by the power and what we can do with these gadgets (write a blog post, take a family photo, track a run, connect with old friends, etc). I pray that we would all be responsible in the use of these things.
- My home. It may need a little work, but the fact that it needs some work means that I have a home.
- My car. It is 10 years old and still running strong! It gets me everywhere I need to get.
- My guitars. Not just one, but two! One is a Martin that has such an incredible sound. I need to play more!
- A cup of coffee. There is something so calming about a cup of coffee during my morning devotion time.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving. My prayer is that God would prosper you and your family in the coming year. And if you have the opportunity, take a moment and share what you are thankful for in the comments on this post. I would love to hear what you are grateful for today.
Debra Diane Richardson says
I love this! I am thankful for God’s Grace every morning! My great friend Patricia introduced me to your books and l am grateful for that! Family, friends, difficulties and lessons!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sandy Washburn says
So thankful for your blog. Never know when to expect it so it always brings a smile to my face when I see it. Happy thanksgiving to you Pastor Phil!
Trish White says
I went through your list and substituted my own list but I thank you for the list! I am very thankful for your blog and what you share as each time brings meaning and that allows me a deeper look into my faith journey. I am always delighted when I get up on the morning and see you have sent me another meditation. Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Linda says
I am thankful for all the gifts from God, you, my husband, family, friends. They are the most important.
Cher Loving says
I also am thankful for our God. Without him nothing is possible. I’m blessed with family-grandchildren are the bonus gifts. My prayer is that God continues to be first and foremost and the rest is just blessings.
In Him!
Cher Loving
Debbie says
I am thankful I am able to receive your posts in Alberta, Canada. Even though our Thanksgiving has passed, I am thankful for this post which has helped me to see that I am more blessed than I realize. I am thankful for your humility, honesty and realism in all your posts. They bring a smile to my face through my battle with depression and help me to feel not so alone in my thoughts. Blessings to you and your ministry.
Brenda LODRAGO says
I am thankful for so much. The more I focus on the list of things I’m thankful for the longer the list becomes.I am thankful for having a home church and of course pastor I am thankful for you !
Barbara Wood says
Phil,
Thanks again for an uplifting message!
P: Spouse, daughter, son and friends who have shared joys and tears.
O: I can hear, with one hearing aid, despite the fact that Ménière’s disease has left me profoundly deaf.
E: I’ve been blessed to see the joy in someone’s eye; have seen the majestic earth that exalts His name (Bryce Cannon blew my mind!!); the Holy Land was a spiritual revival. I’ve been able to hear my grandson’s giggles and shrieks of delight.
T: My hearing aid (one ear is now dead); my backyard filled with fall colors.
I’m thankful that you continue to be led by the Holy Spirit to help us grow together in our faith as Christians.
Tina Dillon says
Thank you so much for your beautiful Thanksgiving message. I am grateful to receive them. I have so many blessings – family, a great job and nice income, wonderful vacations with my loved ones, a home for my family, lots of modern equipment that make my life easier. I don’t have as much as some, but I certainly have enough. I am thankful for each and every thing I have.