Thanksgiving JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Thank you for drinking it so faithfully!

            This is the week of Thanksgiving and while we should express our thanks every day of the year, these next few days are a wonderful opportunity for us to be extra aware of the many blessings that are ours.  As the classic hymn “Count Your Many Blessings” reminds us, we have much for which to be grateful.  Listen to some of the words of this old hymn by John­son Oat­man written the late 1800’s.

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

            I believe the message the writer wanted to convey is that though we are going to have troubles and difficulties, we can always see God’s hand of blessing….if we will just look for it. Keep in mind that this song was written close to 120 years ago!  But the words are just as fitting for us today as they were our forefathers. You see, God never changes.

John 1:16 says:
From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.

           I encourage you to: Count your blessings, name them one by one; And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.