A Bowl of Thanksgiving Soup

by Ronald “Dee” Vaughan

I was working in my office at the church when my telephone rang. Jo Henson, a member of my church, had an urgent request. “Dee, could you come to my house right now! I need you.” Jo lived within a block or two of the church, so I arrived at her home within minutes. Having heard so much excitement in her voice, I didn’t know what to expect.

Jo met me at the door and led me to her den, where she sat down and said, “I just have to tell you what happened to me today. You know I’ve recently finished chemotherapy treatments for cancer. While I had that medicine in my system I couldn’t eat. Nothing tasted good to me. But today, my friend Carolyn brought me some homemade potato soup and, Dee, it tasted good! After months of everything tasting like metal or medicine, I enjoyed my lunch today. I asked you to come here so we can thank God for that wonderful soup together.

That day, my friend Jo taught me the meaning of thanksgiving. Thankfulness isn’t about how much you have. You don’t feel gratitude because life is easy. Thanksgiving happens when you see God’s goodness in small things and praise Him in a big way.

May you, like my precious friend, Jo, experience true thanksgiving. May you see God working through little things to bless you in big ways.

Ronald D. Vaughan