Thank More, Stress Less

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:6-9)
 
What a blessing to live in a country with an official holiday dedicated to giving God thanks for such astounding blessings! Giving thanks is the perfect antidote to the pervasive distress in our world. When we focus on what we want but don’t have (as in shopping lists) or on what we have but don’t want (as in added pounds) we only add to our stress. But when we focus on the freedom from want that we have because of God’s amazing grace, or the future already ours because Christ sacrificed for us, we discover that we are wealthy beyond hope and loved beyond reason.
 
“Heavenly Father, thank you for blessing us with such a prosperous, peaceful, and free nation. Thank you for the opportunity we have to reflect on our blessings this weekend. Be present in all our gatherings, so that we may better understand and experience the grace You have so generously poured out on us, through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.”

TALKING TURKEY
 It's the day before Thanksgiving, and a grocer is just locking up.
 A man begins pounding on the front door of his small store.
 'Please let me in, 'says the man desperately. 'I forgot to buy a turkey!
 My wife will kill me if I don't come home with one.'
 'Okay, 'says the grocer.' Let me see what I have left.'
 He goes into the freezer and discovers one last scrawny turkey.
 He brings it out to show the man.
 'That one is too skinny. What else have you got?' says the man.
Annoyed, the grocer takes the bird back into the freezer.
 He waits a few minutes and brings the same turkey back out to the man.
 The man says, 'That one doesn't look any bigger. I’ll take them both!'
 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 A boy was watching his grandmother prepare the Thanksgiving meal.
 'What are you doing?' he inquired.
 'Oh, I'm just stuffing the turkey,' his grandmother replied.
 'Wow, that's cool,' he remarked. 'Are you going to hang it next to the deer?'