“Thanksgiving Thoughts”

“Thanksgiving Thoughts”

(I thought of those who cannot and I…)*

When running I thought, “I can run no further” then I thought of those who cannot run and so I ran for them.

When caring for another in need I thought, “I can give no more care” then I thought of those who cannot care for another and so I cared for them.

When walking I thought, “I can walk no further” then I thought of those who cannot walk and so I walked for them.

When listening to someone in need I thought, “I can listen no more” then I thought of those who cannot hear and so I listen for them.

When laboring to reason I thought, “I can reason no more” then I thought of those who cannot reason and so I reasoned for them.

When helping another I thought, “I have no more left with which to help” then I thought of those who cannot help and so I helped for them.

When seeing those in need I thought, “I cannot bear to see more” then I thought of those who cannot see and so I saw the needy for them.

When carrying a child I thought, “I can carry this child no more” then I thought of those who cannot carry a child and so I carried the child for them.

When laboring I thought, “I can labor no more” then I thought of those who cannot labor and so I labored for them.

When out in the cold, I thought, “I can bear it no more” then I thought of those who cannot feel the cold and so I felt the cold for them.

When loving the unlovely I thought, “I can love no more” then I thought of those who cannot love and so I loved the unlovely for them.

When visiting the infirmed I thought, “I can visit no more” then I thought of those who cannot visit and so I visited for them.

When writing I thought, “I have no more to write” then I thought of those who cannot write and so I wrote for them.

When giving I thought, “I have no more to give” then I thought of those who cannot give and so I gave for them.

When protecting the innocent I thought, "I can protect the innocent no more" then I thought of those who cannot protect the innocent any longer and so I protected the innocent for them. 

When grieving with those who grieve I thought,"I have no more grief to give" then I thought of those who cannot grieve and so I grieved for them.

When being patient I thought, “I have no more patience to give” then I thought of those who cannot be patient and so I was patient for them.

When being thankful I thought, “I have nothing more for which to be thankful” then I thought of those who cannot run or care or walk or listen or help or see or carry a child or labor or feel or love or visit or write or give or protect or grieve or be patient and it was then that I realized how very blessed I am.  Indeed I have so very much for which to be thankful.

Thankful because life does not consist of what one does not have but for the many blessing with which one has been blessed.  Oh, and there is one more!

When doing good works to find salvation I thought, “I can do this no more” then I heard Jesus say, “I know and I took care of it so just come, freely come to Me you who labor and are heavily burdened--come just like you are...” and so I came.  But there was more for it was then that I understood that when I did these things "...to the least of these my brethren..." I did it to the Lord (Matthew 25:40).


*Note:  Sometime ago I heard the first thought in passing and it set me to thinking and what follows came of that original thought. I researched and could find nothing published so to the best of my knowledge it is not taken from someone's original work.