This is a story I read recently, and I wanted to share it with you. Sometimes we think we have nothing to be thankful for, that we are just in the worst situation possible...but guaranteed, if you look closely, you will find many things to be thankful for and to praise God for.
"I walked into the grocery store not
particularly interested in buying
groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain of losing my husband of 57 years was
still too raw. And this grocery store held so many sweet memories.
He often came with me and almost every time he'd pretend to go off and
look for something special. I knew what he was up to. I'd always spot him
walking down the aisle with the three yellow roses in his hands.
He knew I loved yellow roses. With a heart filled with grief, I only
wanted to buy my few items and leave, but even grocery shopping was different
since he had passed away.
Shopping for one took time, a little more thought than it had for two..
Standing by the meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and
remembered how he had loved his steak.
Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blonde, slim and lovely in a soft
green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a large package of T-bones,
dropped them in her basket.. hesitated, and then put them back... She
turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks.
She saw me watching her and she smiled. "My husband loves T-bones, but
honestly, at these prices, I don't know."
I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale blue eyes.
"My husband passed away eight days ago," I told her. Glancing at the
package in her hands, I fought to control the tremble in my voice. "Buy
him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together."
She shook her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the
package in her basket and wheeled away.
I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy
products. There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy. A
Quart, I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream. If nothing else, I
could always fix myself an ice cream cone.
I placed the ice cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the
front. I saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming
towards me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the
brightest smile I had ever seen. She kept walking toward me, her eyes holding mine.
As she came closer, I saw what she held and tears began misting in my
eyes. "These are for you," she said and placed three beautiful long stemmed
yellow roses in my arms. "When you go through the line, they will know
these are paid for." She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek,
then smiled again. I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses
meant, but still unable to speak, I watched as she walked away as tears
clouded my vision.
I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in the green tissue wrapping
and found it almost unreal.
Oh,you haven't forgotten me, have you? I whispered, with tears in my eyes.
Every day be thankful for what you have and who you are."
Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings..groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain of losing my husband of 57 years was
still too raw. And this grocery store held so many sweet memories.
He often came with me and almost every time he'd pretend to go off and
look for something special. I knew what he was up to. I'd always spot him
walking down the aisle with the three yellow roses in his hands.
He knew I loved yellow roses. With a heart filled with grief, I only
wanted to buy my few items and leave, but even grocery shopping was different
since he had passed away.
Shopping for one took time, a little more thought than it had for two..
Standing by the meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and
remembered how he had loved his steak.
Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blonde, slim and lovely in a soft
green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a large package of T-bones,
dropped them in her basket.. hesitated, and then put them back... She
turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks.
She saw me watching her and she smiled. "My husband loves T-bones, but
honestly, at these prices, I don't know."
I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale blue eyes.
"My husband passed away eight days ago," I told her. Glancing at the
package in her hands, I fought to control the tremble in my voice. "Buy
him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together."
She shook her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the
package in her basket and wheeled away.
I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy
products. There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy. A
Quart, I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream. If nothing else, I
could always fix myself an ice cream cone.
I placed the ice cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the
front. I saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming
towards me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the
brightest smile I had ever seen. She kept walking toward me, her eyes holding mine.
As she came closer, I saw what she held and tears began misting in my
eyes. "These are for you," she said and placed three beautiful long stemmed
yellow roses in my arms. "When you go through the line, they will know
these are paid for." She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek,
then smiled again. I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses
meant, but still unable to speak, I watched as she walked away as tears
clouded my vision.
I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in the green tissue wrapping
and found it almost unreal.
Oh,you haven't forgotten me, have you? I whispered, with tears in my eyes.
Every day be thankful for what you have and who you are."
Thank you, Lord, that I can hear.
There are many who are deaf.
Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light as long as
possible. Thank you, Lord, That I can see.
Many are blind.
Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising.
Thank you, Lord, that I have strength to rise. There are many who are
bedridden.
Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast
is burned, tempers are short, and my children are so loud.
Thank you, Lord, for my family.
There are many who are lonely.
Even though our breakfast table never looks like the picture in magazines
and the menu is at times unbalanced.
Thank you, Lord, for the food we have.
There are many who are hungry.
Even though the routine of my job often is monotonous.
Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to work. There are many who have no
job.
Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day and wish my
circumstances were not so modest.
Thank you, Lord, for life.
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