by Mick Schatz
ROSCOMMON, MI – Here at Bambi Lake we have a sign in our lobby that reminds us “there’s always something to be thankful for”. On multiple occasions reading this sign has altered my attitude and changed my down-look to an up-look at our heavenly father in thankfulness.
So since this article is for the “Thanksgiving” month of November I felt compelled to write down a few thoughts of thankfulness. Maybe you and I can both be encouraged and reminded that “there is always something to be thankful for.”
I am thankful - for life, for my heavenly papa, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, the Bible, the power of the Gospel - my wife Jackie, my kids-Julia, Noah, Emily, Grace (Noah’s wife), my dogs, my job, my church, my parents, my brother and his family, all my relatives, my too many to list friendships from multiple ministry assignments in multiple states, my Bambi family, my BSCM family.
I am thankful - for the family of God, for being chosen to be a son of God, for the salvation of all my children, for being called to serve the Body of Christ, for all the pastors and fellow ministers I’ve served with who have taught me much, and still continue to do so. For death and new life, for the life-giving, victorious, redemption power of Christ’s blood shed on my behalf, for amazing Grace and endless mercy lavished on me by Jesus just because it brings him glory, and pleasure and He loves me so much!
I am thankful - for miracles, God’s divine healing and interventions in my life, for the journey and the process of becoming more like Christ, for the smooth sailing and turbulent seas, for circumstance beyond my control and blessings I don’t deserve, for givers and takers in my life, lovers and haters because they teach me humility and how to show grace.
I am thankful - for material stuff I can share with others, for money, for food-especially barbecue and pizza and low country boils and bacon, for modern technology, cell phones and face-time, for air conditioning and heat, for fast cars, for fun hobbies, for music, for musical instruments especially cool guitars I can’t play well but love to look at, for a good book, for my house, a warm bed, a big TV that I won for free, for my clothes, for my shoes, for a good winter coat and waterproof boots, for snow (except after march), for beautiful lakes, for the ocean, sunrises and sunsets, for starry nights and full moons, for bonfires in the fall and s’mores, for wildlife and wildflowers, for the colors of fall and the green of spring - the magnificence of God’s creation is beyond human words!
WOW! Thank-you Jesus for how much you love us - because of You “there is always something to be thankful for”!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mick Schatz serves on the staff of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. He is the State Director of Spiritual Enrichment and Retreats and lives at Bambi Lake.
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