The Port Washington community held an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service of Hope and Solidarity, led by members of the Port Washington Clergy Association last Sunday at the Community Synagogue in Sands Point. The gathering prayed together, and Fr. Gary gave the Thanksgiving message, “How Would The World Be Different If I Were a More Thankful Person?” As the gathering ended, all stood and sang the last verse of the late Leonard Cohen’s powerful “Hallelujah.” So thankful for our Port Washington community of faith!

I came across this little story in a book and I would like to share it with you today.

One afternoon a shopper at the local mall felt the need for a coffee break. She bought herself a little bag of cookies and put them in her shopping bag. She then got in line for coffee, found a place to sit at one of the crowded tables, and then taking the lid off her coffee and taking out a magazine she began to sip her coffee and read. Across the table from her a man sat reading a newspaper.

After a minute or two she reached out and took a cookie. As she did, the man seated across the table reached out and took one too. This put her off, but she did not say anything.

A few moments later she took another cookie. Once again the man did so too. Now she was getting a bit upset, but still she did not say anything.

After having a couple of sips of coffee she once again took another cookie. So did the man. She was really upset by this – especially since now only one cookie was left. Apparently the man also realized that only one cookie was left. Before she could say anything he took it, broke it in half, offered half to her, and proceeded to eat the other half himself. Then he smiled at her and, putting the paper under his arm, rose and walked off.

Was she steamed. Her coffee break ruined, already thinking ahead of how she would tell this offense to her family, she folded her magazine, opened her shopping bag, and there discovered her own unopened bag of cookies.

I like that story – it makes me think about how well God treats me even when I am not treating him well or thinking all that kindly about him.

It also makes me think about how, sometimes, I do not really appreciate what I have or act like I know where it has come from.

Moses, after telling the people of Israel how they will prosper in the promised land that they are about to enter, how, after so many years of slavery and then of wandering in the wilderness, they will eat their fill, and have fine houses and large herds, and that their silver and gold will multiply, says: Do not say to yourself, “my power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, and as he swearing to you today.”

Chapter eight of Deuteronomy is really one of my favorite chapters of the Hebrew Scripture. It speaks so well of what we all know somewhere in our hearts, but often seem to forget in our actions and our attitudes.

It speaks of how everything we have is a gift from God, a gift worked upon by our hands, most certainly; a gift perhaps even enhanced by our own strength, but a gift none-the-less, for God gives us the hands we need, and God gives us the strength we have.

Would that I would remember this at all times – it would make my life so much easier, and it would bless everyone around me, and it would bless God..

Not so long ago famous people all over the world were polled by a magazine which asked them the question – “if you could be granted one wish that will come true right now – what would that be?”

There were some very interesting responses – but one response impressed the magazine’s editors so much they commented on. That response was this –

I wish I could be given an even greater ability to appreciate all I already have.”

It is an interesting answer an interesting thing to wish for.

What do you think would happen if each one of us suddenly became a more thankful person? If all of us suddenly became a more appreciative people?

I don’t know what comes to your minds – but I know for sure when I was younger my mother would have been really pleased; and now that I am older – well I know that my family would be very happy if I expressed my appreciation a little bit more than I already do – I know that because they tell me so whenever I am apparently forgetting who they are and what they do.

No one likes to be taken for granted – or to see someone that they love taking things for granted.

All of us like to be appreciated, all of us like to be thanked, and all of us, I believe, like to see those we love live thankful lives, appreciative lives, so much so that we teach our children this virtue
– at our dinner tables, – during birthday parties, – in the middle of visits from their grandparents, – and just about anytime that they are receiving something from someone or asking someone for something. I ask you – as I ask myself – where is your sense of thankfulness at? How complete is it? How deep does it run in your life?

I Thessalonians, chapter five, verse eighteen says
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

and in Ephesians, chapter five, where Paul is telling
new Christians how they should live, it says:

“Give thanks to God the Father at all times and for
everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Give thanks in all circumstances. How about this past general election?
Give thanks for everything.
Give thanks at all times.

This is a step beyond remembering God and thanking God for all the wealth we enjoy in this our promised land.

This is a step beyond remembering God and obeying his commands because he has given us fine houses and filled our bellies.

This is even a step beyond thanking God, as the leper thanked God, for healing him through Jesus of his disease.

Instead of wanting to praise God – or to pray to him about the situation with thanksgiving,
– I want to feel sorry for myself and the trouble I am in –
– I want to yell at the kids for being whatever kids are when they are thoughtless
– and I want to throttle the dog, because I know darn well that when he escapes and runs off to school he is not going to come back home any smarter than he was before.

How about you? Do you have a faith that is thankful in everything?

It’s something to think about especially it is something to think about when you consider the power of thanksgiving and of how not only are we blessed or rewarded for it, but so is God and all those around us.

Giving thanks blesses the person who is thanked and it transforms the person who gives thanks.

It works the same way everywhere, with everyone, even with God –when we remember..

When we forget – hard things get harder.

When we allow the situation we are in to swallow us up and to swallow all thought of God’s power and goodness up;
When we begin to think we have earned and deserve all the good things we have,
and when we forget God is able to help us in the midst of all the bad things that occur,
well – life becomes bleaker,
and true virtue becomes harder to find.

God wants us to celebrate his love. God wants us to give thanks in everything.

God doesn’t want this because he is greedy for praise,
the Lord doesn’t want it so he will feel better about himself,
he wants it because it will bless us
and because it will bless the world he has made.

He wants us to remember what He has done – so we will not be afraid when we are in need of help,
and so we will not grow arrogant or rude when we are prospering
He wants us to remember and give thanks to him, and to those around us
– so our lives will be full of light and hope and so our actions full of tenderness and love.
.
As the psalmist declares – “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to his name”