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Things to be thankful for

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Doug:
Hi Jesse,

There was about a 1 1/2 years where I could eat very little. I am 5'10" and at my lowest weight was around 120 pounds. I was hungry 24-7. Since God has been exceeding merciful and can now eat plenty and be full. My weight is now in a normal range.

I do think often on the blessings that God gives both big and small. Trying not to take anything for granted. Even in my worst condition it was not difficult to look around and see others much worse off. Even without being able to eat much there were so many blessing in my life that God so mercifully granted.

The greatest blessing of all is learning here God's truths. All of you here mean more to me than what words can express.

Doug

Kat:

Good thoughts Jesse. It is good to recognize the things that are easy to overlook, like breathing, a basic requirement for living. We should be very thankful for 'fresh' air to breath. Because there are many cities around the world that still have serious problems with air pollution (smog, a word not heard in American for a long time).

Another thing is 'clean' water to drink, shoot we even have plenty enough to bathe in it daily. And don't forget about the flush toilet... Here is a bit of interesting information.

Many thought bathing was a health hazard. In 1835, the Common Council of Philadelphia almost banned wintertime bathing (the ordinance failed by two votes). Ten years later, Boston forbade bathing except on specific medical advice.

Poor water supply contributed to this attitude. The bathtub had to be filled and emptied with a hand pump and pail. It was too onerous a chore.

But by 1845, the installation of sanitary sewers began to pay off with an outlet for waste water, indoor plumbing and working water closets were getting closer to fruition. Unfortunately, bad plumbing and the stench from open sewer connections made some new homes uninhabitable. http://theplumber.com/plumbing-in-america/

Food, what a blessing that it is so easily available and lots of it - "Incomes have grown so much faster than food prices that the average American household now spends less than half as much of its income on food as it did in the 1950s." Can you imagine what a person from even 50 years ago would think if they walked into a supermarket of today?

Electric light to see by at night, that's a real blessing - "Two percent of American homes had electricity in 1900. J.P Morgan (the man) was one of the first to install electricity in his home, and it required a private power plant on his property. Even by 1950, close to 30% of American homes didn't have electricity. It wasn't until the 1970s that virtually all homes were powered."

Air conditioning, down here in the deep south it is more than a convenience, I can remember when we didn't have it (yes I'm that old) - "According to the Census Bureau, only one in 10 American homes had air conditioning in 1960. That rose to 49% in 1973, and 89% today -- the 11% that don't are mostly in cold climates. Simple improvements like this have changed our lives in immeasurable ways."

I think one thing I realize as an enormous advancement is technology - "In 1949, Popular Mechanics magazine made the bold prediction that someday a computer could weigh less than 1 ton. Now an iPad weighs 0.73 pounds." I guess many today cannot remember when computers entered the home, I do. I have an E-Sword on my computer in which I can easily search, with many translations, for any particular word or phrase I'm looking for. The degree that helps me in my Bible study is incredibly huge... what might take hours to leaf through and find in the book takes only mins or seconds now. Also there is the goggle search that we can learn information on almost anything. I believe this is the biggest advancement in knowledge ever.

This is the site I got most of the quotes from '50 Reasons We're Living Through the Greatest Period in World History'
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/01/29/50-reasons-were-living-through-the-greatest-period.aspx

rick:
Hi Jesse,

Unfortunately most don't know what they got until its gone, then they realize what they won't have again in this life.

Its good to reflect with thankfulness for the things we do have but I can also say I'm thankful for somethings I don't have.

God bless.

indianabob:
Great letter Kat,

Only one comment if you please. The big change in shopping came after WW2 when women stayed in the work force and set a better example.
50 years ago I did shop in a super market called A&P, National Tea and a Kroger and they had a great display of fresh fruits and veggies, but they still had the older manual cash registers with check-out clerks that had to be able to count change and often memorize prices from a three page list. The bag boys or girls actually helped me carry my purchases to the car and load them in. Yes, we had autos way back then.
AND everyone was courteous.  :) Folks didn't take their blessings for granted, they were thankful.

cjwood:
there are many things i learned from our dear brother john chris about being thankful, while he suffered with the als which ravaged his physical body, but was unable to ravage the Spirit of God within him.  so many things.  the little things we take for granted.  like being able to even type these words. or hold my head, or my own body up.  walking. breathing. sitting. being able to put our arms around someone, or hold their hand. standing. bending. coughing. smiling. being able to take ourselves to the bathroom. eating solid food. so many, many things i learned from our brother.

thanks for the reminder jesse.

claudia

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