Billy’s grandmother told him today was Thanksgiving, so he needed to stop and count his blessings. Billy replied, “I’m not very good at arithmetic.” Many are pausing today to offer thanks.

The first Thanksgiving was a celebration of harvest. It was a celebration of the fact the pilgrims finally had a foothold in their new land. These folks had a rough start in their new settlement. In fact, it has been calculated that out of the 101 original settlers only 48 survived to celebrate Thanksgiving. This band of settlers experienced much hardship, but with the help of their neighbors, they learned how to live. To spite the emotional drain of their hardship, the settlers took time to thank God for their blessings.

Today, we are celebrating Thanksgiving in the United States and Canada. This celebration comes amid much difficulty; however, we have reasons to be thankful. As Christians, we all can be thankful for a Lord who is always with us. Beyond this, our reasons for being thankful could vary. Family and friends, the start of a new job, the start of an exciting life chapter or the end of a stressful one, or the long-asked prayer being answered may make the list of thankful reasons.

No matter the reasons, remember the encouragement of Scripture to always give thanks. And, challenge yourself to make it a daily occurrence if you’re not already giving thanks daily. Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”

As I think of my thankful list, you are on it. I am grateful that you have taken a moment to read this. I am grateful so many of you stop by on a daily basis.

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