Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

Grateful (adj.) Appreciative of benefits received; thankful
Thanks (v) Acknowledgment of a benefit; give credit

Outreach efforts have brought me in contact with Ms. Nell, a most precious African American lady who will be 79 years of age on Saturday. Each time I go to Dugan I pass Ms. Nell’s home. Most times she is sitting on her porch. Often I slow down to speak and get a very cheery response. Sometimes I stop and talk across the fence. Lately I have felt very close to this dear grandmother and have gone inside the fence.

Ms. Nell reminds me of my sweet late Mamaw Ingram. Ms. Nell attends church regularly in fact she is the church Mother of her congregation. She continually praises the Lord. Yesterday I was able to deliver her a large Blueberry Cheesecake Muffin. She thanked me and thanked the Lord for giving it to her. Later in the evening, Kent and I took 3 large Easter Lilles left from Easter. As I sat on her front porch and visited with Ms. Nell, Kent planted them in her flower bed.

Our visits with Ms. Nell have caused me to realize the difference of saying thanks and giving thanks with a grateful heart. Simply saying thank you acknowledges something while saying so with a grateful heart expresses a true appreciation. Yesterday Ms. Nell expressed to me that God takes care of her even with simple things like plants and muffins. She said I know you and Pastor have done these things but God has used you to deliver them to me. She said I sit here and Praise the Lord all the time for His many blessings to me. (Reminded me of Mamaw)

As we left with a tear in her eye, she said I just thank the Lord and praise God for letting you be my friend. We were in the Lexus and and the top was open. As we were driving away from her house we heard her exclaim, “Oh praise the Lord, thank you Jesus”. My heart leaped. I heard my Mamaw, again! I realized I have made a friend with a grateful heart. Today and everyday for the rest of my life I want to “give thanks with a grateful heart”. This post does not adequately express the presence of the Lord I feel just thinking about the lesson my friend has taught me of a grateful heart.