When the weather starts to turn cold it happens –the students at my elementary school start losing their coats and hoodies. Most of the time it’s innocent enough; kids get too hot on the playground, or in the gym, and the coats come off. Sometimes they remember to pick them up. Sometimes they don’t.
The photo above is the result of 90 minutes of work by yours truly. There are about 120 winter garments on the rack, plus a large trash bag full.
Not all of these articles of clothing come from discount stores. I found two “The North Face” jackets and one “Columbia,” plus several name brand hoodies. Some of these retail for over $100 new.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts to return them, we end up with a couple of hundred coats at the end of the school year.
I’m not saying our kids are unthankful. Unthoughtful is more like it. They have plenty of clothes, so they don’t miss a coat or two, or even three.
The longer I hung up left behind coats and hoodies, the more irritated I became. I thought of my blogger friend Matt, from jesusluvsall, who helps refugees–many from war-torn countries. Surely more of them would be grateful for a good coat. I was tempted to push the whole rack into my van and drive to Nebraska
Give thanks no matter what happens. God wants you to thank Him because you believe in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIRV)
Kind reader, I’m not unthankful for what I have. Unthoughtful is more like it. I seldom consider the fact that I have seven coats, while my Ukrainian neighbor is grateful for just one.
Thoughtful thankfulness; that’s a good description of gratitude.
🙏❤️
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