Happy Thanksgiving to you all! We can trace this holiday to a 1621 celebration at the Plymouth Plantation where settlers had a successful growing season. The holiday was recognized nationally by proclamation from George Washington in 1789. We have a real connection with the investment of seeds to fruition from very difficult conditions to a day of perhaps too much indulgence. Do we remember the sacrifices of our forefathers giving themselves to enhance our lives? Did they possess an attitude of success? Yes! If they had failed, would we even exist today?
I watched an awesome movie called “Wonder” the other day that demonstrates the gifts one possesses to enhance another goes well beyond superficial attraction. I encourage you to see the movie yourself but be prepared to wipe your eyes often.
I believe God has given each of us certain talents or gifts. We are also given a free will to use those gifts or to hide them. We can invest our gifts for the enhancement of others or we can hide them and return them back to the master unused. Some of us never even try to realize our gifts due to fear of failure. Thank goodness those that who have forged a life before us did not have that failure mentality but went on faith to fulfill their dreams. 1 Thessalonians 5 says we are children of light and since we belong to the day, we stay focused on the gift of salvation. The story in Matthew 25 tells about the master giving coins to his workers according to their ability. Two workers invested the coins and was rewarded for their actions where one worker buried his coin in fear of retaliation thus missing an opportunity to prove his worth. Many of us are given gifts and use those gifts to the best of our ability but many of us hide away our gifts for fear of failure. The only way a person can truly succeed is to learn that failure is only a stepping stone to success. Don’t say the words “can’t” or “try”. Replace those words with “can” or “do”.
Use your talents and gifts to enhance your life and the lives around you then teach others to utilize their specific gifts to do the same and let us all grow together.
T