Thanksgiving Follow-Up

Thanksgiving week brought sooooooo many blessings. Our daughter and her sons visited from Minnesota for a week. Our son and his family, who live in Virginia, stayed for three of those seven days. It had been two years since we were all together.

We had so much to thank God for: safety traveling, lots and lots of laughter, great food, quiet times talking, nerf battles in our education building, only minor bumps and blisters from ice skating, swimming and soaking in the hot tub, games like PIG and Poker played at the dining room table . . . the list goes on and on.

In my last post I shared my plan to hide 50 pennies very early on Thanksgiving morning and whenever someone found one, they had to share what they were thankful for and put the penny in a jar I had labeled “Pennies from Heaven”. I put pennies in the frig, in shoes, in jacket pockets, in bookbags, on each napkin at the Thanksgiving feast—anywhere and everywhere. Finders shared their thanks for family, friends, fun, food, and faith. Everyone entered into the spirit of thankfulness as well as the joy of the discovery! It was like a treasure hunt—and the real gem was realizing how very blessed we are.

We found 46 of the 50 pennies before everyone headed for their own homes. I know for a fact that they will come across the other four pennies among their belongings. I hope they dig out an old jar and start their own “Pennies from Heaven” collection.

I think I have started a new tradition for our family—one that we can continue throughout the year. Just yesterday I found a penny while walking across the Lowe’s parking lot. I immediately smiled and paused to reflect on what I was thankful for at that moment. I wonder how many pennies will be in our jar when we get together next year?

Encourage each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord.

Always give thanks to God the Father

for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5: 19-20

Be encouraged!

Pam

©2017 Pamela D. Williams

Pennies from Heaven

I have always been tickled when I find a penny in a parking lot or on the floor of the grocery store! Just that small thing can bring a smile to my face.

This week I read a post by Alicia Bruxvoort on giving thanks. In it, Alicia tells about a time in her life when grumbles outweighed gratitude. To change her whiney, negative attitude, she hid 1000 pennies in her home and each time someone found one, they had to say something for which they were thankful. Her post has inspired me to give thanks whenever and wherever I find a penny, whether it is shining in the sunlight or buried in the snow.

More than that, however, is the reminder that God is present with us at all times and in all places and in all circumstances—we just need to keep our eyes peeled so that we don’t miss the signs—whether it is finding a penny in the washing machine or a $50 bill blowing down the street (this has actually happened to me—twice!!!). After all, the penny itself proclaims, “In God We Trust”.

Dick and I have a whole roll of things to be thankful for this week. Our daughter and our two grandsons are visiting for a week and our son and his wife and our granddaughter arrived today for a four-day visit. It’s been two years since we were all together. I am overcome with excitement!

Very early this morning, I took a roll of pennies—50 copper catalysts for thanks—and hid them around the house. I will explain that when anyone finds a penny they are to share something for which they would like to thank God. I have a jar ready to collect them that I labeled “Pennies from Heaven”. I can’t wait to hear about the blessings God is pouring out in the lives of my loved ones.

God’s Word says giving thanks is the sacrifice that honors God. (Psalm 50:23). Though some days and some circumstances make finding a reason to give thanks as daunting as looking for a needle in a haystack, thanks and praise not only pleases God but gives the giver a whole new perspective.

   

Be encouraged!

Pam

©2017 Pamela D. Williams