During this Thanksgiving week a song has been stuck in my
head. It was written by Rev. Johnson
Oatman in 1897, but it is still very relevant today. All of us have so much to
be thankful for.
From time to time I have shared an update on our new Towne View Baptist church building.
Our congregation finally moved in the first week of November and shared our
first Thanksgiving meal in our new facility last Sunday. We were all asked to contribute to a Thanksgiving Tree.
Scattered on each table were colorful leaves and markers. Everyone was asked to
write something they were thankful for on each leaf—not just generic stuff like
food or family, but something specific.
The children gathered the leaves and
taped them on the tree as a reminder of all our many blessings. I wrote on my
leaf “organ transplants and donors.” I
wouldn’t be here without that second chance at life.
So my challenge to you is to find something specific in your
life that is a unique blessing to you and take time to thank God for that
blessing not only at Thanksgiving but all year long. Here are a few words from
the song chorus that inspired this blog and a UTube link if you would like to
sing along.
“Count your blessings, name
them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”
Here are photos of our new church building and our
Blessings Tree. Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!
Thank you, Frieda, for your encouraging words. We definitely need to focus on the positive and give thanks for our many blessings in specific terms. If only more could follow that advice rather than expressing negativity about every little issue. Let's all look for and promote the good around us eveyday - Thanksgiving and beyond!
ReplyDeleteAnd now, I will be singing that all day,. That is a good thing!
ReplyDeleteWe all should list our blessing daily, if not in pen and ink, in our thoughts. Thank you for reminding me. Hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving. Every day is a gift at this age.
ReplyDeleteYour Middle Sis loves the pictures of your new church & Thanksgiving Tree!
ReplyDeleteYour Middle Sis loves the pictures of your beautiful new Church Home & Thanksgiving Tree.
ReplyDelete