Random Thoughts on Thankfulness

"The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!"

- Henry Ward Beecher-

  • The dog was so worried that the scraps I was giving the cats were more interesting than what she was getting that she raced over there to eat theirs and left hers untouched. I guess we are all like that at times. So worried that we're going to miss out on something better that we don't even enjoy what we have.

  • A couple of weeks ago in the kindergarten class, one little girl hadn't got anything for her 'goodie' bag from all the missionary displays we'd visited. So the teacher asked if anyone in the class would look through their bags and see if there wasn't something they could offer her. One little boy came to me very worried "I'd like to give her something from my bag, but I just CAN'T." I eventually told him that it was his choice to give or not to give. Again, I saw a parallel with my own life. "I see you are in need, but I just CAN'T reach into my wallet to help you out" as I go through the drive through at the next stop light.

  • Most often, thankfulness goes hand in hand with an open heart. When you have an open heart, you aren't worrying about the things that others have. You are too busy enjoying what you've been given. When you have an open heart, you can reach in and take out of your goodie bag and put something in for someone else because you know the joy of giving and that's something you can't put a price tag on.


  • Especially in our selfish society, it takes deliberate thought and practice to live in a thankful spirit. To be practical about seeing others needs and then putting something in their bag. I was most pleased to see my son take ownership of a fundraiser this past month. Their socials class was talking about the discrepancy between what we in North America have and what the rest of the world doesn't have. They decided to begin fund raising. They didn't know what project they would do. Within 24 hours, their class had raised 85$. He put together a silent auction of his stuff, and others brought in what they had to add to the auction and the fund raising continued. Eventually they joined a school-wide project of helping build some accommodation for boy soldiers in Uganda. The school's goal was to raise $10 000. My son's class alone has raised over $3 000. Grade 10 students! Talk about putting into others bags from your own.

So the challenge to you dear cyber readers is to see where a thankful spirit will lead you. What can you do in this week to show you are thankful for the blessings that are yours. Move your magnet throughout your day and catch the vision!



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