Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I look forward to time spent with family and living life at a slower pace for a few days. It’s a time to be thankful, not just for the blessings we have received from God, but also for the things we’ve prayed for that we’ve not received. It is really quite easy to praise God for the things He gives us, but what about when he gives us a “no?” Well, I’m convinced that’s when we need to praise Him even more, and as we do God will allow our faith to come in and carry us through. God gives us these times to grow our faith and dependence on Him. If we never struggled in trials, would we need Him?
“I will praise You forever, because You have done it” (Psalm 52:9). David’s words remind us that we can fill in the blank for “it.” “It” can be anything and everything God does, whether it’s what we wanted or not! We must trust Him and praise Him because He alone is the One who has the power to hear us and listen, the power to work, and the power to answer. He always has our best interest at heart, and we must remember that He created us and knows us and He can see the big picture of our lives. I’m so thankful that I can trust Him to take care of me.
After studying about the animal kingdom, our school curriculum encouraged the kids to write a prayer or poem of thanksgiving to God for His creation of animals. The following is a poem that Lindsay wrote:
“Thank You God”
Thank you, God, for the animals you made,
You made them great, not a bit delayed.
Big and small,
Short and tall,
God above, You made them all.
Thank you, God, for horses that run,
All of this that You have done.
I think about the elephant’s strong
and of their trunks so long.
The birds fly in the sky,
Oh how pretty, oh how high.
Thank you, God, once again,
For all the animals you gave to us!
Good poem, Lindsay. I also love all nature and the animals He created. Thank you for expressing it.