Giving Thanks

By Shelly Burke, Editor and Publisher, Nebraska Family Times

Since Thanksgiving is in November, I’ve decided to make November the month of “giving thanks.”

(Google Images)

The Bible commands us to be thankful; Psalm 106:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” This command is repeated in Psalm 107:1 and 136:1. The Bible also tells us that we should be “always giving thanks…for everything.” (Ephesians 5:20) and that we should “…give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thess. 5:18).

One way to be conscious of giving thanks is to keep a Gratitude Journal. Research has shown that people who keep a Gratitude Journal feel overall more optimistic than people who do not. And “attitude of gratitude” has been linked to better sleep, a decrease in anxiety, better overall health, and higher satisfaction with life in general.

Today I am so thankful for my friends. When I think about friends, I categorize them as to how I know them: I have church friends, cattle-show friends, Genoa friends, Columbus friends, friends from the small business group I belong to, college friends…each group of friends is unique. Today I had the opportunity to introduce a “church friend” and a “friend from our small business group.” It was fun to watch them get to know each other; I enjoy introducing friends from different parts of my life to each other, and watching them (hopefully!) become friends too.

Ecclesiastes tells us that “Two are better than one…for if they fall, one will lift up his fellow (friend).” (Eccles. 4:9). I’ve seen this many times during the last few years—when a friend experiences a crisis—illness, death in the family, or other problem, friends come quickly to “life up his (or her!) fellow.” I’m so thankful that my friends—friends of all “categories”-- have been there to lift me up during hard times in my life the last few months.

Today I thank God for you, friends! May He bless you all.

How have friends “lifted you up” during a difficult time in your life?

(I’m also blogging about things I’m thankful for in being a mom, at

www.achristianmomsguide.blogspot.com Click to see what I had to be

thankful for after I dropped a coconut on Morgan’s head!)