Can I Tell You Why I Am Thankful?

A couple of days before Thanksgiving the husband called his son in New York and said to him, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; 45 years of misery is enough. We’re sick of each other, and so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her."

Frantic, the son called his sister, who exploded on the phone. "They are not getting divorced," she shouted. "I’ll take care of this."

She called Phoenix immediately, and said to her father. "You are NOT getting divorced. Don’t you do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my brother back, and we’ll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don’t do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?"

The man hung up his phone and turned to his wife. "Okay, honey. The kids are coming for Thanksgiving and paying for their own flights."

Thanksgiving is a great family time. It’s when most families get together to eat, share, laugh, have a good time, and demonstrate love to one another.

Illus: A custom that some families have as they set down to enjoy their thanksgiving meal each one around the table state something they are thankful for. THIS IS A GOOD CUSTOM!!!

The book of Colossians is a very important book in the Word of God because it covers so many important things in our daily lives.

Such as, this portion of scripture that I read to you deals with “Gratitude”, something we all need to learn more about.

Illus: Have you ever heard the story of the mother who wanted to teach her daughter a moral lesson? She gave the little girl a quarter and a dollar for church. She told her “Put whichever one you want in the collection plate and keep the other for yourself,” she told the girl.

• When they were coming out of church, the mother asked her daughter which amount she had given.

• “Well,” said the little girl, “I was going to give the dollar, but just before the collection the man in the pulpit said that we should all be cheerful givers. I knew I’d be a lot more cheerful if I gave the quarter, so I did.”

Greed seem to be more popular then gratitude these days.

Illus: Years ago a group of home schooler teachers asked if they could use our facilities where all the home schooler in the area could come with their children and have some activities.

We were more than happy to assist them and open up our fellowship hall and playground for their activities.

They spent 3 or 4 hours using these facilities using our electricity for lights and air conditioning.

When these home schooler parents got through they all got in their cars with their children and went home without saying one word of gratitude.

The pastor was shocked not a parent or a student express any gratitude of what our church provided for them. NOT A ONE!

The pastor thought about their ingratitude and later on he talked with one of the home school moms and told her in a nice way that one of the important part of education is teaching gratitude. She did not apolize she just looked at him in a weird way and walked out of the office.

Illus: Listen some us can remember when we got our report cards on one side of the report card was where the child was graded for their academics and on the back side they were graded for their character such as: Kindness, Respect, honesty, cooperation, tardiness and etc.

And teachers and parents considered both side of the report card to be equally important.

Listen, parents and teachers today are doing a horrible job of teaching their children gratitude.

In this age of FREEBIES people today do not recognize the need for gratitude. When they are given something they feel they are entitled to it SO WHY SHOULD THEY SHOW ANY GRATITUDE!!!

Illus: A priest went into a Washington, D.C., barbershop, got his hair cut and asked how much he owed. “No charge, Father,” the barber said. “I consider it a service to the Lord.”

• When the barber arrived at his shop the next morning, he found a dozen small prayer booklets on the stoop along with a thank you note from the priest.

• A few days later a police officer came in. “How much do I owe you?” the police man asked after his haircut “No charge, officer,” the barber answered. “I consider it a service to my community.”

• The next morning the barber found a dozen doughnuts on the stoop along with a thank you note from the police officer.

• A few days after that, a Senator walked in for a haircut. “How much do I owe you?” he asked afterward. “No charge,” the barber replied. “I consider it a service to my country.”