Thankfulness Learned

Society’s Thanksgiving season has ended (barely), but a thanksgiving attitude never ends for the Christian. We are to give thanks – to God – always. Several years ago, I got a Thanksgiving jolt that has stayed with me ever since.

We were dining with the Hernandez family on Thanksgiving Day. There is never a shortage of food or friends at their house, and this day was extreme on both counts. As is traditional at many Thanksgiving tables, we all took a turn saying what we were thankful for. I don’t remember my contribution or anyone else’s except Tony’s.

Tony said most meals at his home when he was growing up in Puerto Rico consisted of beans and coffee. Except when there were no beans. Then it was coffee. I was stunned. Beans and coffee?? Or just coffee? For a bunch of kids? We were “poor” when I was a child, but we did have a good diet, consisting of beef and chicken and vegetables, all of which my “poor” parents grew on our farm. Hand-me-down clothes and no luxuries were the standard of life, but we did have food.

As I listened to Tony’s story and viewed the over-abundance of savory, nourishing dishes on his table that day, my attitude of gratitude was forever changed. Maybe we don’t need more in order to be thankful; we need less. I’m pretty sure that Tony’s gratitude that day was greater than mine, but I “learned the lesson” without having to experience it myself. So I’m sharing it with you so you can do the same. 

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

--Lynda Shenefield