The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Thanksgiving A Good Daily Habit

Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher

25 November 2003

How is it we become so preoccupied with life that we overlook the many blessings we have been given and fail to give thanks for them.

We become so busy with our "to do lists", our routine shopping, cleaning, and working, or with family and friends or fixing what is wrong, that we neglect to say "thanks" for all the things that have been right during the day.

Thank goodness for a day of "Thanksgiving" where the calendar is already marked for us to STOP and take note of our blessings.

It is time for our families to focus on what we have taken for granted rather than how we have been left out, overlooked, or mistreated.

It is time for us to make a list of all that is right in our lives - all that is beautiful around us - and all that can be achieved using the abilities that God has given us.

When I was young, I ended each day with a "Thank You," prayer... for the sun, for the rain, for my friends, for the fun I had that day.

But now, it seems that too many times I neglect to say "thanks" and I more often ask for more blessings in my life. Maybe, before we ask for another blessing from our generous God, we should stop and thank him for the many blessings he has already surrounded us with.

We can thank him for our families, our friends, our homes, our town, our community and the many who work or volunteer here. We can thank him for those who are protecting our country in the military and in our government.

In giving thanks often, we are reminded of how very blessed we are in America - free to pray - free to express our opinions - free to make choices with our lives.

Rather than a once-a-year celebration of thanks, maybe we can make it a daily habit to count our blessings.

It will probably stop us from asking for so much at Christmas when we see how blessed we already are.