By Doug Creamer

Last weekend, the temperatures dropped below freezing, thus ending my gardening season. I worked to pick the remaining treats and clean out the garden. I got some green tomatoes that I hope will ripen up. I picked a bunch of butterbeans. I dug my sweet potatoes. I got a pretty good return on them except a few were chewed on. I am not sure who is responsible for the half-eaten sweet potatoes but I would sure like to get my hands on them.

That is probably the latest I’ve ever had a garden. We normally get a frost or freeze earlier that ends the growing season. Many of us gardeners like to try and cheat Mother Nature by starting early with our gardens or pushing it as late as possible. I have some more cleanup to do in the garden to finish the season. I want to get that done before the cold weather settles in.

Gardening is always filled with challenges. It might be too hot or dry. We can get early or late freezes. Then there are bug problems and diseases that can affect a harvest. Finally, there are those critters that want to help themselves to my harvest. Despite the challenges, I want to press on with gardening. I need to work on better defenses so I can enjoy the fruits of my labors.

I imagine the early settlers had plenty of challenges with their gardens, too. Despite the differences in soil and climate, they kept trying and learning until they were successful. In their case it was a life-and-death matter, in mine it is a matter of enjoying my fresh vegetables or those that others grow.

The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving in 1621. They celebrated despite the loss of almost half the people who came over to the new land. The first winter was brutal, between the cold and sickness. The first Thanksgiving was a three-day eating celebration shared with the Wampanoag Indians. The Wampanoag Indians helped the Pilgrims learn about the new land and the first Thanksgiving began a more than 50-year good relationship between the two peoples.

In Sunday school last week, I taught my class that thanks means to show gratitude and appreciation. It is easy to show gratitude to the people at work. Saying thank you, whether to a subordinate or to a supervisor can mean more than you imagine. Showing appreciation to your customers can build repeat business. It’s not hard to say, “thank you” to the people around you and letting them know you appreciate them. This works well in families, too.

Sometimes, we get focused on the things that have gone wrong in life or our aches and pains and we forget to be thankful for the many ways God blesses us. It’s easy to get distracted and to forget all the ways God has met our needs. Most of us have plenty of food to eat, many nice clothes to wear, a warm place to lay our head at night, and we feel relatively safe…we aren’t living in a war zone. When we focus on the blessings, it’s easy to be thankful.

I encouraged my class to write down a list of their spiritual blessings. We have been forgiven for our sins. We have a place waiting for us in heaven. We have talents, skills  and abilities. Next we made a list of special events or days. Consider your wedding day, the birth of a child or getting a job. Think about the blessings of family and friends, especially during the holiday season.

We wrote down a list of our material blessings. We are blessed with homes, cars and all the things in our homes. That can be a long list. Next, I encouraged my class to list books, music or movies that really touched them. I listed my favorite authors and some great movies. We all know that music can touch and minister to our soul.

I want to encourage you to take a minute each day this week to thank God for your many blessings. In addition to all the things we’ve already listed, don’t forget all the great people in your life. Those who gave you second chances, those who believe in you, those who love you, and both your natural and spiritual families. I believe that reflecting and thanking God for your many blessings will change your perspective and your heart. We are all blessed, even if we are facing challenges, we are blessed. Let us turn our eyes toward heaven and thank God. Happy Thanksgiving!

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041 or doug@dougcreamer.com.