What I am thankful I likely will not have for Thanksgiving:

What are you pleased to say you will miss out on this Thanksgiving?   

·       Cousin Merle’s grape hull pie?

·       Aunt C’s spinach dip that gets browner as it moves faithfully from party to party?

·       Mama Hazel’s special boiled chicken delight?

·       Ms. Civi’s cabbage pizza appetizer bites?

·       Ms. Myrtle’s boxed lemon cake with canned chocolate icing? 

• That dip that everybody is raving over but you know what went into it?     

 Every holiday has its inherent plusses and minuses…especially when “we the people” are involved.  

We are all duly asked to list off things we are thankful for this time of year. It’s easy to be cavalier and off hand about it. We have so much.

 

I decided to think about what I am thankful I likely will not have for this Thanksgiving season, through no merit of my own. Here’s my list so far …

What I am thankful I likely will not have for Thanksgiving in 2015:
Nothing to eat	“Some 795 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life.” (https://www.wfp.org/hunger/stats)
No place to sleep	“More than 100 million people worldwide are homeless. About one in four people live in conditions that harm their health, safety, prosperity and opportunities.” (http://www.habitat.org/getinv/events/world-habitat-day/housing-facts)
No money/possessions	“Almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day.” (http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats)
No family	“It is estimated that 153 million children worldwide, ranging from infants to teenagers, have lost one or both parents… Over 7 million children are in institutional care worldwide” (http://www.sos-usa.org/our-impact/childrens-statistics)
No friends	“there is a friend [Christ Jesus] who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24)
No love	Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so. (WB Bradbury, 1862) “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
No purpose	“Sing to the LORD a new song … Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.” (Psalm 96:1, 3) “in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2:304)
No paralyzing fear	“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1) “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.” (Psalm 56:3)
No hope	“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (I Peter 1:3)
What I deserve	“It's your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.” (Isaiah 59:2) “For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)