What Are You Thankful For?

This week a Food Market volunteer and I were talking about what God has been doing through people to serve our community.  I was thanking this volunteer for the countless hours she spends shopping for food using the donated gift cards.

Her response: “Well you have a lot of amazing volunteers!” We took a few moments to reflect on the number of people involved in helping run the Food Market and I was overcome with gratitude.

We are like an army of ants: organizing neighbourhood food drives, dropping off bags, picking up food, sorting, checking expiry dates, stocking, donating food, donating gift cards and money, picking up apples, bread and milk, picking up food at the food bank, bagging groceries and fresh produce, transporting bags to the lobby, responding to emails, phone calls, praying with people, taking new registrations, scheduling home deliveries, delivering food to vulnerable people, sewing hundreds of masks….

… I could go on because I know that there is much more.  Not only am I thankful for each person who helps make the Food Market run, but I am so thankful to God. He gives us strength, wisdom, and creativity to make necessary changes, but it is His love and compassion that motivates us to do what we are doing.

There are countless things to be negative about during this pandemic: online schooling, challenges of working from home, cabin fever, distance from family, friends and loved ones, unemployment, gaining weight, need for a haircut, loneliness, and even the fear getting the virus. However, there are also countless things to be thankful for.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says Give thanks in all circumstances because this is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus.  You may not be thankful for this pandemic and how it is negatively impacting our world, but God is with us, and He is at work moving people to generously care for others in the midst of it for which I am grateful … what are you thankful for?