#194 - How blessed are you?

Over the past weekend, I was sitting and half watching the Notre Dame vs. FSU football game. What caught my attention was a commercial for the Notre Dame medical school. As best as I could tell, it was a special commercial talking about their organ transplant program. There were several people that were interviewed and at the end they told what organs they were waiting for.

I thought, wow! I’m so blessed that I don’t have to worry about waiting for an organ transplant to stay alive. Life can seem so tough at times. Things don’t go your way at work, you have financial struggles, or family problems.

None of these things compare to those that are struggling with cancer, MS, organ transplants, or any other life-threatening issues. Personally, I can’t imagine the stress this puts someone under.

I look at my life and in comparison, I have no problems. I have a roof over my head, clean water, clean air, and relatively good health. Whenever I think I have a tough problem to deal with, I just look around. Someone else always has it tougher than me.

We get so wrapped up in what’s going on at this time of year. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and then there’s all the Christmas parties and other festivities. And then you add to that the pressures for year end work projects and everything involved with wrapping up another business year.

Stress plays an especially large factor at this time of year. Family, friends, and work can place demands on your time. You spend hours decorating, searching for the right gifts, and cooking meals.

Some of you may suffer from depression and loneliness at this time of year. Maybe you have no family close by, if any at all. If you have adult children, they may be spending time with their spouse’s family and developing new holiday traditions of their own.

And then there are those that work during the holidays. Nurses, doctors, police, fire fighters, and members of the military are just a few of those that are called to work weekends and holidays.

When you’re taking time to give thanks for all that you’ve been blessed with, remember to pray for all these other folks that can’t be with family and friends.

If you’re reading this, odds are you’re not scrounging for food in a dumpster or garbage pile.

If you’re reading this, odds are you’re not sleeping outside under an overpass trying to keep warm.

Your life may not be perfect. In fact, you may think your life down right sucks! Give thanks anyway. In spite of your problems, remember to be grateful for what you do have. Pray a prayer of Thanksgiving. And when you do, pray for all those that have far less than you do and those that aren’t able to be with family and friends this year.

Yes, the holidays can be a really tough emotional time. At this time of year, it’s always a good thing to stop and think about all of your blessings.

Have a great and blessed Thanksgiving!