By Doug Creamer

I am very thankful for all the delicious food we eat for the holidays. There are always plenty of great dishes for Thanksgiving. My favorite is sweet potato casserole. I think I like that better than all the desserts. There are always plenty of good meals and sweets to celebrate the holidays. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Thanksgiving rings in the season of great food. I hope everyone got a chance to relax and enjoy the good food, family and friends throughout the holiday season. While we savor the great food, I hope our hearts will be filled to overflowing with thanks for the many blessings God has poured out on our lives.

We started a week early, as both my parents celebrated their 90th birthdays. If you met either one of them you would not believe that they are 90. They have active minds and stay active physically. I am thankful that my parents are in good health and that they are still here to enjoy family times.

I am thankful for good health. I know that I am older. My Dad told the family at his birthday celebration that aging will require that you take some pills to keep everything working well. My doctor has convinced me that I have crossed the line of needing to take “pills” to continue to stay healthy. I was not excited about that news but have cooperated. I am also learning the importance of exercise for good physical, mental and spiritual health.

I am thankful for my family on both sides. Some family I get to see often and others only on occasions like the holidays. I am grateful and thankful for each one. When I pray for all the members of my family, that can become quite an endeavor. I have many nieces and nephews and they have children, too. Does that mean I am a great uncle? I think I am a great uncle!

When I think about family, I can’t help but think about my church family. I am blessed to be a part of a great church family. Our church family cares deeply for one other. If one of us has a need, our church family is there to help. I am also thankful that we believe in the power of prayer. We have seen God move in so many wonderful ways. We are all thankful for our pastor and his family. They are a wonderful addition to our church family.

I was looking around the house this morning and realizing that I have many things for which I am thankful. To begin with, we have a nice home and cars that run well. Is everything fairytale perfect? No, but I feel so blessed. God has blessed us with so many good things to enjoy both inside and outside our home. Having a special place that feels like home is something that makes us very thankful.

When I consider many other places on earth, I am thankful to be living here. I can’t imagine living where bombs are falling from the sky. I live in a peaceful neighborhood, which is a real blessing. I am also thankful to be living in the south. Can you imagine living up there where they got six feet of snow? I love snow, but not that much.

Having a thankful heart is something God wants each of us to possess. Life has many ups and downs but God wants us to be thankful in spite of our circumstances. Granted, there are some days when it is hard to give thanks, but I have found that in those difficult days if you can begin counting your many blessings one by one it will help change your perspective on that day. It is easy to give thanks on the good days, but a thankful heart on the tough ones blesses God in heaven. He is drawn to a thankful heart and will draw close to us and help us through those difficult days if we find ways to give thanks in the midst of them.

I want to encourage you to give thanks for the many blessings in your life. Take time over the long weekend to reflect on them and give thanks to your Heavenly Father. The holiday season has officially begun, and entering it with a heart filled with gratitude will help you experience the joy and wonder of this great season. I am thankful for each of you and pray that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Enjoy the time with family and friends. Eat some great food. Give thanks for God’s many blessings.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041 or doug@dougcreamer.com.