Thank you for roast chicken and gravy

My children are adults now and live in their own homes.  Whenever possible I love to get my family over to my house for Sunday Lunch.  One Sunday afternoon my daughter, Sam, was asked to thank the Lord for our meal.  “Thank you for roast chicken and gravy, Amen” she said.  It was not quite the traditional prayer so we giggled but all said a hearty AMEN.

I remembered this little incident this week while I was walking through Madutle village.  This is a new village to me.  Helping Hands has just recently started to serve here.It is July – midwinter in South Africa.  A fierce cold has turned the landscape a dull, dry dusky color.  As I stood in the village an icy wind sliced through the layers of my clothing and my feet refused to warm up.  I looked around me and I noticed how many children were scantily dressed, some with bare feet.  My heart choked up.  I reminded myself that we have only just started our work here and that soon we will identify who needs warm clothes and provide as best we can.  This reasoning does not really ease the hurt I feel that children should go cold … and hungry … and parentless.It was in this stark, cold village that I remembered my daughter’s prayer – oh, how we should truly and sincerely be grateful for roast chicken and gravy.I have decided to make a list of the things for which I am truly grateful:

• For my shoes – more than one pair.
• For my warm winter coat – again, more than one.
• For the ability to say “I wonder what I’ll make for supper tonight?”
• For the duvet on my bed … in fact, for my bed.
• For my children Sam and Dustin and for my daughter-in-law Hallie.
• For the fact that my children have parents who are alive.

This is a short list – a list that many of the children in Madutle village cannot make.  They don’t have shoes or coats or beds or parents.Today I am sad that I live in a world where this is true.  Today I am honestly grateful for the huge big blessings in my life like roast chicken and gravy.Question: Being grateful helps me through times of sadness.  What are some things you are grateful for? Click here to leave a comment.