A Thanksgiving Message
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, a time most of us will be gathering together with our family and hopefully we will remember to do more than eat a meal and watch football or make a mad dash for the mall. The Thanksgiving Holiday gives us the perfect opportunity to express thanks to God for all the blessings of the year and to transform our lives from complaining and dissatisfaction to lives of joy and gratitude.
Thanksgiving is a good holiday for us to turn the corner and become grateful people.
Psalm 118:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love endures forever.”
Being a grateful person can INCREASE YOUR PERSONAL HAPPINESS.
Most of us think that our happiness is determined by our circumstances. If I asked you, on a scale of one to ten how happy you are right now, you might say, “Well, I’m about a 2 or 3 on the happiness meter because of my circumstances.”
We’ve been taught that our happiness is somehow dependent on how well things go for us. But really our happiness is determined by attitude. It is really in how we see things.
The apostle Paul wrote these words from prison (yes prison). "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say it rejoice." (Philippians 4:4).
Paul was happy despite being in prison - how, he learned to thank God in everything he did. It was really his perspective on life.
A young woman wrote her mother from college: "Dear Mom: Sorry I haven’t written sooner. My arm really has been broken. I broke it, and my left leg too, when I jumped from the second floor of my dormitory...when we had the fire. We were lucky. A young service station attendant saw the blaze and called the Fire Department. They were there in minutes. I was in the hospital for a few days. Paul, the service station attendant, came to see me every day. And because it was taking so long to get our dormitory livable again, I moved in with him. He has been so nice. I must admit that I am pregnant. Paul and I plan to get married just as soon as he can get a divorce. I hope things are fine at home. I’m doing fine, and will write more when I get the chance. Love, Your daughter, Susie.
P.S. Mom,
None of the above is true. But I did get a "C" in Sociology and flunked Chemistry. I just wanted you to receive this news in its "Proper Perspective!"
Happiness is really determined by our perspective in life not by circumstances. If we learn to be grateful people despite circumstances that will greatly improve our happiness.
Blessings,
Pastor Fernando Villicana
Fire Service Chaplain
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