I Kind of Love my Dishwasher

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

I propped the dirty plate in the dishwasher, and a weird thought came to me. Or maybe not so weird. "I have a machine that washes my dishes for me." At 62 years old, I'm kind of fascinated with this machine. I washed dishes by hand for many years. Honestly, that was my quiet time, because the rest of the family usually scattered as I filled the sink with suds.

As I type on the keys of my laptop, the sound of the dryer tumbling my clothes dry serves as my background noise. Of course the washer cleaned the clothes for me, first. If you are reading this, you're most likely on a computer or smart phone. I'm not trying to toot technologies' horn, but how much do we take for granted the ease of modern life? How often do we thank God for the things that enhance our lives, that give us time to pursue Bible study, hobbies, prayer, sports or time to help our neighbors or community?

How often do we take time to thank God for our circumstances? 

When I come across a scripture like 1 Thessalonians 5:18, I'm reminded to humble myself and thank God for the numerous blessings of life. Even when life's problems rear their ugly head, I pray God reminds me to be grateful and give thanks in all situations.

 “As with all commandments, gratitude is a description of a successful mode of living. The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us.” – James E. Faust

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I challenge you to make a list, either on paper or mentally, of all you have to be thankful for. I think you'll find a reason to praise God.