Giving Thanks

            Poppa God, that is my name for my God, He has giving us so much.  Every day that we wake up is a blessing.  This month we are giving thanks.  It is very appropriate that this month in the United States is the month of Thanksgiving.

            I know that there are times that we don’t feel very thankful.  It could be that things are not going according to our plans.  That is okay.  I learned a phrase a long time ago. “Life is not about waiting out the storms, it is about learning to dance in the rain.” It holds a lot of truth.

            That statement was not truer this weekend when I went to the wedding of one of my best friends.  It was on the coast and the forecast called for rain all weekend and drenching rain on Sunday, the day of the wedding.  Yet, we all gathered for what would be a wonderful weekend in spite of the weather. 

We had torrential downpours, but you know what, we “danced in the rain” and had a great weekend.  It actually made it more special.  We were thankful for the rain.  It was badly needed.

“I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” Psalm 9:1

            The reason that we had a great weekend was that it was full of love from the family and friends that had gathered to witness this union.  There is even a picture of my friend and I stomping in puddles the morning of the wedding.  We were laughing like children as we ran through the puddles.

It reminds me a little bit of life. Yes, we all have hard times and hardships that we go through.  Yet, even in that we can learn to give thanks to God for always being with us.  He has promised us that.  Even when it appears that things are going to be ruined by the “rain.”

“Be Strong and Courageous…For the Lord your God goes with you: HE will Never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

Give thanks for the rain. Give thanks for the never ending love of our Poppa God.  Give thanks for all the blessings we have been given.  Give thanks for the sun shining through the rain.

On the day of the wedding, right before the ceremony, it was torrential downpour, but as the time for the service approached, the rain lifted, and the sun shone. For an outdoor wedding, no rain would have been optimal.  As the bride and groom said their “I do’s”, the sun was still shining.  Then after the wedding it started to sprinkle again.

What I am saying is that we were thankful for that sun shining.  However, we would have been thankful not matter what.  It was just a little added bonus that we got the sunshine.

So no matter what, always be thankful for God’s amazing love and his attention even to the smallest of details.  Even forty-five minutes or so of sunshine on a wedding day.  Also, we need to learn to dance in the rain and be thankful for that as well.

Photo By Travis Bowman

Poppa God, you have given us so many blessing.  This month as we give thanks, show us the little nuggets that you have granted on us.  From sunshine during a wedding to running through puddles in the rain as children.  In everything that I do, I give thanks to you.  You are my Poppa God, and you pour out your blessings on us daily.  Thank you.

AMEN

Laura Maxson