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WITH THANKSGIVING – 11/17/2020

By November 17, 2020Daily Devotionals

WITH THANKSGIVING
November 17, 2020

Dear Lord, May songs and prayers of gratitude fill my heart and mind and mouth today.  Thank You for all You are to me.  Amen

Scripture: A psalm. For giving thanks.
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and not we ourselves. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100 NIV

According to a Gallup poll, 90% of Americans said that expressing gratitude makes them happy. I would like to add that it also makes those receiving the gratitude happy. Two basic human needs are to feel loved and appreciated. Gratitude journals have been popular for many years endorsed by a cornucopia of people. It is strange that we find the idea of being grateful way before now in the first books of the Old Testament. My concern is that we remember not only what we are grateful for, but more importantly, to whom we are grateful.

Expressing thanks may make us happy, but I would think a greater feeling would be humility. Remember all that we have, every breath we take, every memory we can retrieve, the blood moving through our veins, the flowers, sunsets, EVERYTHING should prompt us to fall to our knees and thank Him repeatedly. Wherever you keep records of your year, in a lesson plan book, journal, or calendar, I want to encourage you to write down at least one thing a week for which you were grateful to God.  Going back to reread them on some of your harder days may also lighten your burden.

I know it seems like a corny assignment, but I hope you will ask your students what they are thankful for. This is an appropriate assignment to introduce for the calendar holiday of Thanksgiving, which legally leads to your explanation of why Thanksgiving was originally celebrated and later became a national holiday. During this season of Thanksgiving, please express to others what you thank God for, not just what you are thankful for.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Copyright Kathy Branzell.  Email [email protected]

2 Comments

  • Dr. Al Eads, Jr. says:

    Thank you Kathy. Sharing this message with numerous other teachers. May God continue to Bless Your efforts to lead our prayer lives both at CEAI and at the National Day of Prayer.
    Al Eads, Jr., Ph.D.

  • Laurie says:

    Many blessings to you Kathy and sincere thanks for inspiring us year after year!