Blessed to be a Blessing

Thanksgiving Week is here and I’m so thankful! My family are on their way to me! I’m ready for them! I’ve got the Treasure Hunt ready to go for my big 8-year birthday boy. Most of my baking and cooking is done, and all that goes with 11 of us in my not-so-big house. Only 3 or 4 times a year, do I think about “back when” I had a big house that had plenty of beds and bedrooms for all of us. But it’s okay — I’ve got the blow-up and fold-up mattresses ready to go — and soon the “camping indoors” at Nana’s will begin. But, there is just no way to complain or wish for the “good ole’ days”!!! Our trip to Mexico last month, certainly put an exclamation point on that! Witnessing the numbers of people there that have such a meager existence — they live in one room (if you could even call it a room), have no running water, and no adequate roof or walls in what they call “home”. Having that “visual” certainly causes me to capitalize THANKSGIVING! We are blessed.

And, BLESSED, is the operative word — not, “lucky” or “fortunate” or “deserved” or “privileged”. We ARE BLESSED! And we are blessed — to be a BLESSING!. We can’t just simply say “THANK YOU”, and go on our way. We MUST do something about those blessings. In fact, we’re held accountable for them. Luke 12:48 says “…….when someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.” There is responsibility that comes with blessings. Actually, it becomes a cycle of blessings, because we see in Proverbs 11:25, “The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.” It’s that “give and it shall be given”, law of reciprocity….that just keeps on giving.

So, this Thanksgiving week, while we’re in an attitude of gratitude, let’s remember that we are blessed to bless; gifted to give; forgiven to forgive; loved to love.