Sermon Illustration: Thanksgiving

Melodie Beattie, a noted self-help author, often stresses the importance of gratitude. She says, "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." If we believe Melodie Beattie is right, it will make us appreciate Thanksgiving Day, as well as make us more grateful the other 364 days.