We are reminded each year to be thankful because of the National Day of Thanksgiving each November –a date established by Abraham Lincoln in 1863. But Thanksgiving is first and most importantly a command from the Bible. II Thess. 5:18 and Eph. 5:20 tell us to be thankful always for everything.
It is easy to be thankful for the big things. A good job, a new car, a good report from the doctor after a traumatic illness or an accident. As bow hunters, the harvest of a really nice whitetail or mule deer buck or big bear are easy things to be thankful for. The big things that happen to us seem to push our “thankful button” more than the little things.
When Paul admonished believers to give thanks for all things and for everything that included the small insignificant things, also. What about the gentle smile of your companion or friend that is most often taken for granted? Or the ray of sun as it glistens across the leaves of the trees while on the tree stand? Or maybe the sight of a fork horn deer in front of you browsing or crunching on apples, just too small to shoot this year, that should raise the thankfulness of your mind and heart. For those of you who are getting older, just the ability to get up – walk through crunching leaves to our favorite deer stand should ring our thankful bell.
The list of small things to be thankful for will grow into the hundred as we begin developing a spirit of thankfulness for everything. When the spirit of thankfulness becomes a living part of our life it will be hard to have a bad day.
Try it – you’ll like it and so will those around you. The little things can make a big difference.
Dave Roose
It is easy to be thankful for the big things. A good job, a new car, a good report from the doctor after a traumatic illness or an accident. As bow hunters, the harvest of a really nice whitetail or mule deer buck or big bear are easy things to be thankful for. The big things that happen to us seem to push our “thankful button” more than the little things.
When Paul admonished believers to give thanks for all things and for everything that included the small insignificant things, also. What about the gentle smile of your companion or friend that is most often taken for granted? Or the ray of sun as it glistens across the leaves of the trees while on the tree stand? Or maybe the sight of a fork horn deer in front of you browsing or crunching on apples, just too small to shoot this year, that should raise the thankfulness of your mind and heart. For those of you who are getting older, just the ability to get up – walk through crunching leaves to our favorite deer stand should ring our thankful bell.
The list of small things to be thankful for will grow into the hundred as we begin developing a spirit of thankfulness for everything. When the spirit of thankfulness becomes a living part of our life it will be hard to have a bad day.
Try it – you’ll like it and so will those around you. The little things can make a big difference.
Dave Roose
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