Thanksgiving Bouquet

Well, another Thanksgiving Day is here, and pardon the pun, but for that, I am most thankful! I am exhausted and in great need of a break, so the days off that come with the holiday are incredibly welcome this year.

It has been a semester of tension, stress, busyness and uncertainty. Therefore, the prospect of a few days off seems delightful.

As I read through my devotional yesterday, I was inspired to cultivate an attitude of gratitude that would stick with me not just now, but all the time. The devotional said:

“As you go through this day, look for tiny treasures strategically placed along the way. I lovingly go before you and plant little pleasures to brighten your day. Look carefully for them, and pluck them one by one. When you reach the end of the day, you will have gathered a lovely bouquet. Offer it up to Me with a grateful heart. Receive My Peace as you lie down to sleep, with thankful thoughts playing a lullaby in your mind.” (Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling)

That was just what I needed to read yesterday, and that is just what I need to read every day. I need to pluck the many blessings that the Lord has given me, one by one, to sit in awe of the bouquet He presents me with daily. So often I miss the whole thing just because I insist on keeping my eyes on the circumstances. I am so distracted by the issues at hand that I can’t even catch a whiff of the fragrance of the flowers even though I’m standing in the middle of the garden!

And to think that God custom-makes the blessings for each of His children...that He strategically plants a whole garden full of the things He knows would speak to us, and probably just us…and we still struggle to see it…to perceive it…to acknowledge it…to thank Him for it…sigh…

The gentle tunes of a saxophone played by a young man who found his way the day he opened its case for the first time. The little hands tearing the loaf of bread that will become stuffing later in the day. The loving words of encouragement coming from a life-long partner who has stuck with me through many storms and fires. The little paws following my every step, hoping for some scraps to fall his way. The much-needed rest after a savory meal and the time together with not much else to care about than lounging on a comfy chair. That was my bouquet…



I pray the Lord tunes in my senses so I am aware of His presence, and of His gifts, and of His blessings, not just today, but every single day.