Who's That Girl In My Bed?

That's the question I asked my mom when I came home for the Xmas and New Year holidays from college.  "Oh," she said, "I forgot to tell you. We have taken in a foster child.  Her name is Charlene.  She's eight years old.  You'll have to sleep in your brother's room."

My parents wanted Charlene to have a great Christmas as she apparently had a rough time in life.  On Christmas morning my  younger brother and I watched Charlene open her presents as quickly as we gave them to her.  What seemed like a very long time and what seemed like 20 presents, when she finally opened the last one, she said, "Is that all there is?"  My brother and I looked at each other and we all knew we've got a problem!"

Charlene believed we all owed her something.  Today, we would say she felt entitled and would fit in very well with todays culture. When you feel entitled, you cannot feel thankful because if you believe people owe you something there's nothing to be thankful for. 

Thursday is Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving reminds us to be, how do you put it? oh yes, "thankful."  But are we really thankful?  According to social psychology research, the secret to being content is "to be thankful for what we have."

The Bible teaches us that to be thankful is basically to be grateful and gratitude is one of the highest virtues of the true believer and the foundation from which blessings flow.  The opposite of thankful would be ingratitude which closes the door to blessings.

The story of Tony Snow illustrates beautifully what thanksgiving really means.  Tony Snow was the White House press secretary during the administration of President George W. Bush.  He died of colon cancer in 2008.  Seven months before his death Tony was speaking to a group of journalists and said these words, "In many ways, having cancer was the very best thing that ever happened to me, other than marrying my wife."  He went on to say that cancer is not a blessing but God often uses it to teach us something we never knew and deepens our faith.  We find out what matters most in life.  

After his first cancer operation, Tony said that he had to stay in bed.  During that time he read the Bible in bed and prayed like he had never done before.  He asked God to draw nearer to him and God did.  He felt a joy inside him that he never had before, knowing that God was with him every step of the way and that no matter what happened, God would never leave him.  Tony Snow learned what being thankful truly meant.  

On behalf of the Allen and Reva Minor family, and our German Shepherd, Max, we wish you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving.