Thankful... oh... so Thankful!

I really love Thanksgiving.  It's one of my favorite Holidays.  Much more so than Christmas or Chanukah.
Thanksgiving is a holiday without airs.  It's simple.  Eat a lovely meal with those you love, be thankful, clean up, and bask in the Thankfulness for a few days.  There's no other Holiday like it.

I love how generous this Holiday makes everyone seem to feel.  Homeless food pantries become full, shut in's get invited for a meal, warm clothing gets donated to those on the streets.  What I truly wish, is that all of us would do this kind of stuff ALL THE TIME... all year long... but Thanksgiving is a great place to start.

I know some of my friends don't believe in God, and I respect their beliefs.  But I will encourage them to just for one second, just for a moment in time, for a nanosecond... to just fathom that someone GREATER than ourselves is watching over us, protecting us, giving and blessing us with the lives we have, the children we have, the roofs over our heads, the smiles on our faces.  JUST FOR A SECOND... and then to just say a little 'Thank You'.  I know those friends of mine believe they are the reason for the blessings, that it comes from them, and their choices alone, that nothing divine is helping them. 

I also know they believe this way because they look around and see so many homeless, hurting, starving, broken people not being helped, or cured, or given shelter.  They see a world where there CAN'T be a God, because if there were... then why doesn't He HELP them?

The only answer I have to that question is... THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR.  I believe will all my heart and soul that my Saviour is EVERYWHERE, all the time.  The He is omniscient, omnipresent, omniAWESOME... and he CAN and DOES help everyone, ALL THE TIME...  All. The. Time.

I do not come from the belief system that "God helps those who help themselves"... no... NO... He helps EVERYONE... whether they believe in Him or not!!!  He created EVERYONE in His image, and he loves me as much as He loves the person saying He doesn't exist!  I am no better than anyone else because I love Him, but BECAUSE I love Him, it is my (our) responsibility to help our fellow brothers and sisters that are broken, homeless, and abandoned.  THAT'S what we are here for.  God put US here to do His work.  We can't see Him right now... but we can be seen.  WE CAN DO HIS WORK, to clothe, and feed and be a light to those who don't have as much as we do. 

I love Thanksgiving because it doesn't exist as a holiday of giving things to other people because we can afford to do so.  It exists to feed, and to concentrate on being thankful and giving, and in that spirit, it jolts our minds to be sensitive to the fact that we have SOOOOOOOO much, when others have SOOOOOOO little.

If I may, allow me to make a suggestion this weekend?

Take a little time to go through your closets and drawers this weekend.  Grab a huge bag and start filling it with blankets and clothes and things you haven't used in a long time (a year or two) and keep it in your car.  When you are driving around this weekend, shopping, lunching, laughing and spending... be mindful of the people on the street with the shopping carts as cars, or the family walking down the streets in shorts in cold weather, and hand them your unused items.  Just hand it to them and say... "This is from God, not me... He wants you to know He loves you and will meet your needs... "  If you have some money, buy them some food.  It's such a small, simple gesture... but it's what He wants us to do.

I am so thankful for the roof over my head... I need to stop complaining about how "small" it is.

I am so thankful for my car... I need to stop complaining about how old it is.

I am so thankful for my new job...I need to stop complaining... oh wait... no complaints there yet... LOL

I am so thankful for my kids... I need to stop complaining they don't listen to me... they are teens, they aren't supposed to...

I am to thankful for my Husband... I need to stop complaining that he works too much... he is supporting all of us beautifully...

I am so thankful for my parents...I need to stop complaining they are divorced, and just enjoy them individually.

I am even thankful for my extra layers... I need to stop complaining I'm not losing them fast enough, and continue to love myself where I am.

Be thankful and mindful this Holiday Season...

Much love, health, happiness and prosperity to all...

Sandra