Thankful Thursday

Sometimes I think we need to remember the simple blessings we've been given. For instance, I love to thank the Lord for the gift of sleep. Sleep is very important to me, and I love to do it! (Actually, I'm a champion at it!) There are those who have trouble sleeping, so I need to be thankful that I am not of their number.

Beyond thanking the Lord for the ability to sleep, I thank God for all the things that help me sleep. The following things really help me to enjoy peaceful sleep: first and foremost, my wonderful king-sized mattress, my soft sheets that feel so cool when I slip into bed, fluffy pillows, a ceiling fan to give me a gentle breeze, and a comfortable night gown.

One of the reasons why I started thinking about my night-time blessings is I saw a story on Life Today with James Robison about a little family that lives in a little shack in some third world country. A mom, grandma, and three children sleep on a piece of cardboard with one thin blanket under a patchwork roof of odd pieces of lumber and plastic. No pillows. No comfy sheets. When it rains, it has to be downright miserable.

Why was I so blessed as to be born in America and have a roof over my head? Granted my home is a humble one. Probably those who see my house as they drive by would not want it. Yet every night I feel grateful that I am not sleeping on a cardboard mat!

I want my kids to realize how God has blessed us. Every night, I will say out loud, "Thank You God for my bed, thanks for my mattress" and on and on. (I remind myself of watching the Waltons on TV. "Good night, Jim Bob, Mary Ellen ...") I know my children think I'm goofy, ok they know I'm goofy, but I hope being thankful rubs off on them.

It's not enough to think grateful thoughts, I think we should say them out loud!

To read other posts about thankfulness, visit Sting My Heart.