Heartprints

Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks…or is it?  For some people Thanksgiving means nothing more than the kick off for the Christmas holiday season.   Decorating, baking, shopping, and standing in long lines at the local retail stores all usher in the beginning of that busy time of year we call Christmas. 

A few weeks ago I was shopping at a popular craft store in our neighborhood.  “Isn’t this a bit early for the lines to be so long,” I thought to myself?  The store was extremely busy and the lines were excruciatingly long.  After searching for any line that appeared shorter, I finally decided to stay put in my own line.  It appeared that every line was at least five people deep and that was with all registers opened. 

As so often happens, when you stand in line for any length of time there tends to be a bit of conversation develop among the anxious shoppers.  That was true for three of us who engaged in small talk as we waited patiently for our turn to purchase our goodies.   During the conversation I noticed that two of the three of us were buying Christmas supplies and decorations, while only one was buying Thanksgiving plates and napkins.  As I looked around, I noticed that almost every other customer that day had something in their cart that pertained to Christmas and not Thanksgiving. 

As we continued our chatting while waiting our turn, the lady with the Thanksgiving products said, “Whatever happened to Thanksgiving?  It looks to me like Thanksgiving is being overlooked!”  As I thought about her statement, I was reminded that Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday and a great time to give thanks to the Lord for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us.  As we embrace the whole holiday season, let’s remember to focus on Thanksgiving Day with a grateful heart and not overlook this day dedicated to giving thanks to the only true God who provides our every need though His Son, Jesus Christ.

What does Thanksgiving mean to you?

Below are a few things of what Thanksgiving means to me.

Thanksgiving is a time:       To give thanks to God for His blessings

Thanksgiving is a time to:   Help others in need

Thanksgiving is a time to:   Acknowledge who He is, the great I AM

Thanksgiving is a time to:   Nourish your body, soul, and mind with God’s presence

Thanksgiving is a time to:   Knock at the door of His mercy and grace

Thanksgiving is a time to:   Share His love with others

Thanksgiving is a time to:   Gratefully embrace Him

Thanksgiving is a time to:   Invest your time with Him

Thanksgiving is a time to:  Victoriously believe in Him for what He has done for you

Thanksgiving is a time to:  Introduce others to Him

Thanksgiving is a time to:  Name Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Thanksgiving is a time to:  Give Him your life completely

May this Thanksgiving be a blessing to you and may your heart lavishly embrace Him.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Lisa Goodyear holds a Master of Arts degree in Christian Education, with a focus in Children's Ministry, from Dallas Theological Seminary. She has over twenty-eight years of local children's ministry, as well as an extensive background in early childhood education and international ministry to children. Currently, she is serving with the family/children’s ministry in her local church in Shawnee, Kansas. Lisa's passion is to see children from every nation, tongue, and tribe trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and grow in their relationship with Him. She is married to Rolla and they have two grown children and three grandchildren and a little Yorkie, Romeo. Lisa lives in Olathe, Kansas.