Eucharisteo:The Small Things

from  Bing images

               What are some of the small things, those we take for granted, that we should give thanks for?

 

               A few years ago, I had some heavy burdens that seemed to keep me bothered and, at the same time, stirred up. My prayers seemed to be by rote: “Dear God, please be with that person.” I realized I needed to find things to give praise for.

CENTRAL HEAT

               I found myself praising God for our central heat. Now this might seem strange to you but it wasn’t to me. I am cold natured and have a chronic sinus problem. Also, several years ago, I asked a friend if her mother was coming down for Christmas. My friend’s mother lived 200 miles northwest of us. No, her mother couldn’t come during the winter because her apartment didn’t have central heat. I believe she might have had wall-unit space heaters.

A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS          

               At that same time, I found myself giving praise to God for the fact we had a roof over our heads. In fact, at that time, our roof needed some work done to it. (God allowed us to get the roof repaired a couple of years later.) As I realized my need to give praise, we were warm and dry. 

HELPING ORGANIZATIONS

               I give thanks to God for the organizations that help people in times of need. Our city has a Christian Center which ministers to homeless men. We also have an organization that ministers to homeless veterans, men and women. In the event of a fire wiping out a family’s home, our city has an organization that oversees three temporary houses where the families can stay for two weeks free of charge. We don’t know how blessed we are!

MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES

               Recently, the prayer group I attend on Tuesday mornings, started meeting at an independent living facility associated with the neighboring healthcare campus. The place lent to us for our prayer times is wonderful. For this opportunity to minister to and with others, we give praise to God.

ELECTRICITY

               Have you given much thought that we should give praise to God for electricity? When I see the old movies where the rooms are lighted with gas lights, I realize how careful the people had to be in that era. Yes, it is an inconvenience when a storm goes through, takes out our power, and we have to put things on hold and wait for the repairs to be made. But, there are teams of workers who work long hours to get our community’s issue fixed.

               In a few weeks, women will be cooking Thanksgiving dinners. Whether you cook on a gas or electric stove, think about how you would manage if you had to cook on a wood burning stove. When my dad got called back into the Marine Corps when I was four years old, we lived for a while in part of a farmhouse. Our side had a ‘modern’ stove. The farmer’s wife cooked on one of those wood burning stoves.    It was almost scary to watch her as she lifted the round black pieces on top with the utensil made for that purpose. What I remember is seeing the flames of the fire come up through the hole.

We who live in the 21^st Century have many things to be thankful for; these are but a few.