The winds of autumn blow through the trees, swirling yellow and red leaves to the ground. Brown crunchy leaves line the streets. Temperature fall; days are shorter. Autumn is here. Each season has its own unique feel and beauty. I don’t like to rush through fall with its beauty and preparations for Thanksgiving. I savor the beauty of the many colors of fall.
However, retail stores display Christmas merchandise months before the holiday shopping season. The Thanksgiving holiday seems pushed aside for the Black Friday pre-sales. Seeing early Christmas decorations in the autumn colors creates a type of cognitive dissonance for me.
Recently while shopping, I saw a display of clearance items. To my surprise, they things from last holiday season with drastically reduced prices. The bargain discovery of decorative dessert plates with the word “joy” on them could not be resisted. I imagined possible uses in the upcoming holiday season and picked up a small stack to put in my cart.
The store clerk wrapped each plate individually, so as not to break any of them.
At home I unwrapped each joy plate to be sure none had broken.
When I removed the protective paper from the last one, I found a surprise and an unexpected blessing.
I unknowingly picked up a “thankful” plate.
The reminder to have a heart of thankfulness brought joy.
Colossians 1:12 describes the life worthy of the Lord as “giving joyful thanks to the Father.”
Simple reminders of thankfulness can surprise us and bring joy to our hearts.
Be on the lookout for unexpected blessings every day.
- Create a gratitude journal.
- Recall how the Lord has answered prayer and strengthened you.
- Thank the Lord for the surprise blessings of each season.
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 136:1
Whatever your situation, if you are in a season of joy, struggle, or uncertainty, I pray that you can look to the Lord with a thankful heart. He is at work as we unwrap each moment as we transition from one season to another.
