Thank God for...the Little Things

By Brenda Rivas


As I sit here on this special day of giving thanks, appreciating the time I get to spend together with my family who I only get to see  four times a year, I am thinking of all the things I am grateful for, as well as all the things we can often take for granted in our daily lives. It makes me think of how the big things in life can become small and the little things can become so big they can consume our entire world.  
I look around at a table full of food, surrounded by the people I love, under a roof in a warm house on this cold day, and I am so thankful for all of it. I am reminded that the arguments we have are nothing compared to the fight for survival of those without a home or care. I am reminded that the chaos and stress of traveling during the holidays is nothing compared to the struggle  of finding food for your family when you don’t have the means. I am reminded that the family moments lost to work are nothing compared to the isolation and loneliness of those without loved ones or those who must leave their families thousands of miles away for a better life.  
So often we get caught up in the hustle and  bustle of this time of year. It is easy to forget that the holidays are one of the hardest times for many people, both in our own neighborhoods and around the world. I am inspired to do something different this season. I am inspired to find ways of giving to those in need. 
This year instead of buying another gift that has no meaning, I will give a donation in a loved ones name to a cause that matters to them. I will look for an hour or two,  that I can spend  volunteering even if only  for one day. I will Show My Passion for life and for humanity by sharing my gifts and God’s love with those who need it most.  
Will you join me in showing your passion and sharing with those in need this holiday season?

       NebraskaSynod-Giving

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