I was feeling pretty thankful a couple days ago. It was a good feeling. One that lasted for at least four hours. It came upon me right after I purchased a turkey to donate through our church to a local charity who’d be giving it to someone in need. Donating a turkey isn’t a lot, but every little bit helps, right? And I was feeling thankful that I was the person buying a turkey for someone else, instead of the person who needed a turkey for Thanksgiving.
I dropped the turkey off when I went to church later that morning, feeling thankful. Then a few hours later I had a lunch meeting with some of my church friends. My feelings of thanks changed right after I asked one of them how much his turkey cost.
He replied, “$22, but I got two for the price of one so they were each $11.”
That’s the moment my feeling of thanks disappeared and it was replaced with feelings of discontent and frustration.
I blurted out, “No way! My turkey cost me thirty-six dollars!” (Seriously, it cost me $36.)
All the sudden I wasn’t feeling very thankful anymore. More like thankless. Apparently I had wasted a lot of money. With Bernice out of town, I had proved once again that I am shopping-challenged.
Later that afternoon another friend who had been at lunch with us and heard about my $36 turkey texted me the picture you see above. Sheesh, those turkeys are only $8.99!
It’s funny how certain Bible verses pop into your mind at providential times. I give the Holy Spirit credit for that. I thought of I Thessalonians 5:18 directly after my initial shock of seeing the above picture. “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
It doesn’t say feel thanks, it says give thanks. And not for everything, but in everything.
Yes, it’s still frustrating that I spent way too much for that turkey, but I can laugh about it now. And once again I’m giving thanks for the fact that I had the money to buy that turkey to give away.
Giving thanks is the path to feeling thanks. Give it a try. It’s likely to change how you feel.
I do hope you have a Happy ThanksGIVING!
By Dave Gudgel