Every God-given small, medium or large part of your life that would leave a sorrowful void if it were taken from you is a blessing if it is present today. Blessings are, literally, everywhere you turn. You have many reasons to be thankful! Many. Reasons. Yet there is something more that God means for us to express than merely a gladness that we have received certain things that make us happy. It is not enough to experience thankfulness for blessings; even more we should express thankfulness to the Blesser. Gratitude that terminates on the blessing or the deliverer of the blessing and doesn’t rise to God Who is the originator of the blessing is not thankfulness that is pleasing to Him. It is not God’s will for us to have appreciation for the gift without affection for the Giver. God does all these things for our good, but always that He might receive glory for His goodness. We don’t just receive gifts … they were sent to us by God. We don’t earn or merit blessings … they were paid for on the cross by Jesus. We don’t have an anonymous, impersonal Giver … we can know Him personally. We aren’t merely to enjoy what He gives to us … we are to give our hearts to Him. Let us be thankful today for the good things in our lives. Let us celebrate the bad things that are worked out for good. Let us anticipate the best things yet to come. Let us count our many blessings and be glad. Most of all, let us express our adoration and appreciation and allegiance to the One from Whom all blessings flow.