Gratitude finds a way to give thanks. Do you believe it? That’s what the minister said this past Sunday leading up to Thanksgiving. He also mentioned the familiar verse of Paul’s; give thanks in all circumstances.

Well, moments earlier, as I prepared to leave the Sunday school classroom where I meet with the ladies in my class, something happened which, depending on your perspective, could be viewed as funny, humorous, crazy, embarrassing, or mortifying. However you might view it, the incident proved gratitude finds a way to give thanks.

Let me explain.

Our ladies’ class recently moved to a new classroom. In doing so, we gave up the closet where our curriculum and other belongings are kept. It’s a long story. At the end of our time together, I left the ladies and went to our previous room to retrieve our study guides for the upcoming quarter.

I returned to our room, passed out the books, and sat down for the closing prayer. When I stood to leave, I felt a very weird sensation on my legs.

When I looked down, I needed a minute to figure out what was on the floor. Encircling my feet was my half-slip. It had slid off my body when I stood. It really was funny, actually. I stepped out of the slip, picked it up, and somehow managed to cram it into my very small purse.

So, here’s where the minister’s message on gratitude finds a way to give thanks makes its way into this post and into my life.

·         My slip stayed put in our opening session of men and women before we dismissed to individual classrooms.  

·         When I went into our old classroom for the books, a man was already seated in the room waiting for his class to begin. My slip stayed where it was supposed to while I gathered our books and left that room.

·         My slip did not fall off while I was in the hall between the two classrooms.

·         My slip did not fall off as I walked between our classroom and the sanctuary to begin service. Besides being embarrassed if it had, I probably would have tripped with the thing around my ankles, and who can say how that would have ended? But from past experiences, I’m thinking a trip to the emergency room may have been in the mix.

·         My slip did not fall off in the service, nor did it fall off as I left the church building.

Instead of any of those less-than-optimal scenarios, God kept my slip in place until I stood up in a room among female friends. He provided enough space in my small purse for me to stuff the unmentionable. You need to understand, when I say small, I mean small. And most importantly, it was my slip which fell off, not my skirt.

As I think about what happened, I look beyond a fallen half-slip, and consider all the many reasons I have in my life for gratitude to find a way to give thanks.

What about you? How have you experienced ways for gratitude to find a way to give thanks in your life?

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I bless the holy name of God with all my heart. Yes, I will bless the Lord and not forget the glorious things he does for me.

He forgives all my sins. He heals me. He ransoms me from hell. He surrounds me with loving-kindness and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things! My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! He gives justice to all who are treated unfairly. He revealed his will and nature to Moses and the people of Israel.

He is merciful and tender toward those who don’t deserve it; he is slow to get angry and full of kindness and love. He never bears a grudge, nor remains angry forever. He has not punished us as we deserve for all our sins, for his mercy toward those who fear and honor him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west. He is like a father to us, tender and sympathetic to those who reverence him. For he knows we are but dust and that our days are few and brief, like grass, like flowers, blown by the wind and gone forever.

But the loving-kindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting to those who reverence him; his salvation is to children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant and remember to obey him!

The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything there is. Bless the Lord, you mighty angels of his who carry out his orders, listening for each of his commands. Yes, bless the Lord, you armies of his angels who serve him constantly.

Let everything everywhere bless the Lord. And how I bless him too! Psalm 103 (TLB)

You can find my November Inspire a Fire post here. Please stop by and read it.

I wish you well.

Sandy

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