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I follow Ann Voskamp through her blog, A Holy Experience (www.aholyexperience.com) When I read one of her books, I fell in love with a word she uses eucharisto. It means giving thanks.In the United States, at the end of November we celebrate a holiday called Thanksgiving. Our neighbors in Canada celebrate their Thanksgiving holiday in October. We spend considerable time during this month thinking about how God has blessed us. On my blog, I devote November to the theme of giving thanks. In actuality, we should spend time throughout the year in the mode of thanks-living.

When we go to God in prayer, we often begin with expressing our thanks to Him for the many things He has done for us or has given us. Some of these items are basic to our lives; but when we recognize these things are from Him, they become special to us. Some of the things we give thanks for might be so basic to our lives that we almost take them for granted. A warm home, a great neighbor, reminders of special friends, some antique furniture—my grandmother’s hope chest, my great-grandmother’s library table, a wooden bookcase my husband refinished with our little boy’s help.

All of us have special neighbors. We should thank God for them. One man in our neighborhood took care of his late wife at home for a decade. We watched her go downhill with no apparent name for her condition until six months before she went to be with Jesus. Because of health issues, my husband and I need some help with the ‘handy man’ tasks that arise from time to time. Our next door neighbors have mowed our yard in the season and shoveled snow in that season. He started doing it first; when he changed jobs, she took over.

A quick look at the montage frames on our living room walls reminds me thank God for the many memories of special times with our son, tee-ball years, wonderful vacations, high school and junior college graduations, all caught on film.

In the Bible, The Apostle Paul tells the Thessalonians to, “Give thanks in all things.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) This past Saturday night, around 9:00 a friend called me. A friend of hers had called with the news that her friend’s husband had a severe heart attack; our local hospital was going to life-line him to one of the heart hospitals in Indy. As I was talking to another friend a little later I heard the ‘chopper’ take off.

The next morning, as I sat during my devotional time, I realized that we should give thanks for the lifeline helicopters and their crews. We are more conscious of them because we live a half mile away from one of the two hospitals in our town. I also pay atttention to ambulance sirens because our street is a main route to that hospital. When I hear the sirens or the helicopters, I say a quick prayer for the need and for the family involved, also giving thanks for the crew.

Another thought that came to me was something our neighbor across the street said when we had a brother-in-law who was terminally ill. The thought was, “At one time in our history, people didn’t know what caused some one to pass away.” We should be thankful for our doctors, for medical research, and for our medications.

Do we need to learn to give thanks in all things,as Paul advised?

"Point of Reference" from Fred Price

Counting the Cost and Bearing the Cross