Thinking And Thanking

by Dorothy Teague

Ihave such fond memories of Thanksgiving around the dinner table with all my family. My mother made it so special for us, with all kinds of foods to feast upon. The smell of turkey and sage dressing filled the house. We were a farm family, so we knew what hard work was. We were thankful for when the tobacco crop turned out well, or when we had enough hay to feed the cows.

It’s hard to believe that in one short month, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving again with our loved ones. But

with the way 2020 has gone so far, I shudder to imagine what might happen in our country before then. It’s good to have a day set aside to celebrate being thankful, but we don’t have to wait for the calendar to show us when to be thankful. We can thank the Lord for what He has brought us through already, seen and unseen.

It’s easy to be thankful on the “good days,” but to thank Him on the “not-so-rosy- days” is a challenge. A lot of events in my life read like a soap opera, and I tend to want to rebel when life doesn’t go the way I planned it. Those are the times that I seem to seek God more. God’s Word becomes the “lamp to my feet and the light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). There is a prescription for our happiness within His Word. Philippians 4:8 says, “…whatever is true, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.” In other words, fill up your mind with good things so that you are thankful, and then you don’t have time to have a pity party. (I’m not saying that I’m good at doing this all the time.)

There has to be a daily renewing of our minds so that we don’t give up when the bad days come (Romans 12:1). There’s a little piece of a verse in Acts 26:2 which says, “I think myself happy,” in which Paul is saying he’s happy he’s going to get to defend himself against charges brought against him. But when I read that verse, I thought, Yes! We should THINK ourselves happy until we become happy! If we constantly think on negative things, we will start speaking negatively. If we act on those thoughts for very long, it becomes a habit. I really have to work hard at not falling into negative behavior. But Proverbs 23:7 spells it out plainly: “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” What you dwell on gets into your spirit, and you become what you think. It will show on your face, in your talk, and in your walk. Whatever you put in your heart or your spirit will come out of your mouth (Matthew 12:34).

Just like the familiar, “You are what you eat,” the same can be said for, “You are what you think.” Giving thanks to the Father will keep your mind renewed, keep your heart moving toward closer communion with Him, and make every day a happy Thanks-giving day!

About The Author

Dorothy Teague is a Tennessee native, who resides in McMinn County with her husband, Lewis, on their farm. After completing 31.5 years as a teacher in the Bradley County School System, she is active in her church at Eastanallee Baptist Church where she is a member of the choir and praise team.