The older I get, the more sentimental I get about the Thanksgiving Holiday. I suppose that is because the more life I live, the list of people and things for which I am thankful grows longer and longer. My sense of duty to give thanks to God, my Father, and to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior also seems to be growing. After all – Jesus is the author and finisher of my faith; He is my life and my hope. He is my best friend. This year, there were times when He seemed to be my ONLY friend. His Word has always proven faithful – and when He says He sticks closer than a brother, it is true!
So this particular Thanksgiving Day, I want to take the time to thank Jesus first for His many blessings. I want to thank Him for His love and Salvation – the gift of life at a cost of His Holy blood on my behalf; His sacrifice for me is undeniably the most humbling and wonderful (I cannot fully express my wonder at it) thing that anyone has ever done for me! I want to thank Him for His grace and mercy in my life. His deliverance is unmistakable. His presence in my life is invaluable. His glory is eternally uplifting to behold. Great is our God and worthy of Praise! From Him, all blessings flow. Thank you, Lord. My heart has no words to express the level of gratitude that wells up inside as I ponder you and the meaning of your presence in my life.
I would like to thank, also, my wife, Jane. I want you to know I love you and am eternally grateful for every minute you are in my life. I am thankful for all you have gone through these last 25 years of marriage. I only wish I could have returned the favor and honor in equal or greater proportion – you deserve it, Dear. I love you and am forever indebted to you. I wish you could see that and believe that I mean it from the bottom of my heart.
I am also thankful for those who have stood by me through this year’s troubles. Your friendship, faith, and prayers have been indispensable and unforgettable. I thank the Lord for putting you in my life. I am without words (they just don’t say it well enough) to say how much you mean to me.
I am also forever thankful for my family. I love my kids, and son-in-law. Lisa, Damon, Matt, Josh, and Andrea – you mean the world to me. I cherish every moment we spend together. I pray for you and enjoy watching you grow, learn, and live YOUR lives as our Lord leads you. Your character is solid, your faith is growing, and your personalities are precious. You teach me more than I think I teach you. I also love my mother, sister, and brother and his family. Mom – you have shown me a mother’s love in ways … well, only a mother can do. I have watched Jane do the same for her kids, but being the recipient of that love is precious. I know Jane has wanted to receive it from her mom as I have from you. Thank you for your love. I also thank God for Pop – Jane’s dad. Though he is my Father-in-Law, he has been the father I don’t have. Thank you, Pop, for your love and for accepting me, with all my flaws, in your family – and allowing me the privilege of caring for (even when I’ve failed) your daughter. What a sacrifice that is. Thank you for loving her as you have. I am thankful for my cousins – who, because of Facebook, I have reconnected and enjoyed your prayers and presence in my life again. We should hold a family reunion sometime soon and reconnect face-to-face – always better than the electronic version.
Last, but certainly not least, I am very thankful for my students. The joy of teaching will never be forgotten, because the joy of watching my students come alive with the wonder of the world before them is precious. I am not teaching right now, but the two years’ of teaching I did means the world to me. Having you come bouncing into my classroom in the mornings, watching you cringe during a dissection, and seeing you develop and grow as a person through the years has made you forever a part of my life. Not being able to spend more time with you breaks my heart – but still I thank God for the time we have had together. You, like my own children, have taught me many things – probably more than I taught you.
So, As I See It, this Thanksgiving is the most precious one yet. Can there be any deeper sense of thankfulness one can experience? I’ll let you know next year when I’ve had another 12 months of experiences added to these last 47 years’ worth.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Holler for Jesus,
Greg Yount
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