Dear SCC & Friends,
O give thanks… ~1 Chronicles 16:34
Reflection #299
Be on the lookout for mercies. The more we look for them, the more of them we will see…~Anon.~ Last month I was invited to speak to a group of sixth grade Vietnamese students regarding a program called The Gratitude Project. It’s designed for the students to hear both from American and South Vietnamese veterans of the Viet Nam war. Gratitude may be defined as the quality of being thankful; the readiness to show appreciation for someone and to return kindness. The students were very well prepared and seemed to listen intently. It wasn’t just about telling “war stories.” They had prepared questions for me, all related to the subject of gratitude…They wanted to know about my life… What was I like at their age?… Why did I join the Army?… What was my family like?… When was I most scared during the war? Ultimately I got “the million-dollar question” which caught me off guard… “What was I most grateful for about my time in Viet Nam?” I had never been asked that question which caused me to posture my heart and think before I responded.
Gratitude is heart’s memory. ~Massieu~ We can’t be grateful if we don’t know what someone has done for us. In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. It’s very easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements in comparison of what we owe others. ~Bonhoeffer~ I used some of my time to challenge the students to talk to their parents and grandparents about their story. It took great courage and sacrifice for them to escape tyranny and come to the United States… When eating fruit, remember the one who planted the tree. ~Vietnamese Proverb~ I finished my time by telling them I was most grateful to God who saved my life and gave me a heritage of faith, family and service. O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endures forever. ~1 Chron. 16:34… Counting all of our blessings is impossible, but it’s a worthy goal… We were made for these days… Keep up the good work!
Happy Thanksgiving,
Kevin