If there’s anything your mama taught you that you should still be doing, it’s thanking people when they do some kindness for you. I love to hear moms and dads tell their kids “Say thank you!” And then their little voices, repeating it, is so sweet.

I think the people out in Western North Carolina and surrounding regions that were hit by the hurricane are saying “thank you” a whole lot right now. There’s a lot of work being done to help them with washed out roads and drive ways, piles of flood debris, and torn up homes and businesses. It’s overwhelming to see pictures of it and hear stories of the damage. But a “thank you” is all that is necessary to keep volunteers motivated to help. I mean, what if it was your home, your road, your community? We help because we know how blessed we are to have what we have. And we hope to never have to go through something like that. So in the shock and awe of a storm’s aftermath, we go and we work, we give and we supply, and “thank you” is said, because what else can you say?

Somebody once suggested that each day we should end the day by writing down what we’re thankful for. Well even if you don’t jot it down, you can spend a few minutes mulling over it and tell the Lord your gratitude for the blessings of the day.

That’s why I like Thanksgiving. It’s a whole day set aside to thank God for the blessings we have living in this country (the USA). That can happen even in other countries, whether a day is set aside or not. Blessings are all over our lives, and we need to recognize where they come from. And be thankful.

So, spend some time giving thanks. And in the words of the old song: “And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”