Thanksgiving

I’ve heard it said many times that happiness is really determined by the attitude we have towards the things that happen to us – not the events themselves. If we try to see the good in any situation – eventually we will be transformed into grateful people who face the future with hope.

If we think of our lives as a journey through a desert, and ask ourselves what should we do when we come to a small oasis? Should we stay there forever, knowing that it is safe where there is water and shade? Or should we stop, get refreshed and rested, and then continue on in search of the next source of life? Some of us have chosen to cling to only what we know to be safe; what helps others of us leave it behind perhaps to find something better? Where do they get their optimism, their hope?

I believe the courage to move on in the journey of our life comes from trusting God.

As we consider the abundance in our lives, thinking about all that we have (rather than whatever it is we still want), we see how well God has provided for us. These blessings of the past create the foundation for us to trust God in the future – God has taken care of us before, and will again, always.

As you celebrate Thanksgiving this year, I hope that you will be overcome with gratitude to God, and realize, that you have been blessed not just for yourself, but also so that you might be a blessing to others. May this Thanksgiving strengthen you for life’s journey, fortifying you with insight and faith.

–Rev. Naomi