By Shannon Marshal

This week while I was driving in the Delta, the gas gauge on my vehicle revealed I was getting close to being out of fuel.  I do not know a lot about automobiles, but one major fact is you can not go far on an empty tank.  So, I pulled into a store that sold gas and filled up my tank.  You sure can not go far in life with an empty tank, so fill up your tank with thanks.

Be thankful for your failures.  What?  Yes, be thankful for the things you tried and were not as successful as you would have liked. We learn a lot from our failures. The important thing is you tried.  Do not be bitter about it get better because of it.   Be thankful for your friends.  The ones on Facebook, yes, but more so your real true friends.  If you have a true best friend, be thankful! Jesus called His disciples friends.   Friends need one another.

Be thankful for your family. Nothing will bless your heart and hurt your head like family, but isn’t family wonderful. The holidays would not be as special without family.  Make memories with your family. Memories will last forever, things will be forgotten.

Be thankful for your faith.  Thanksgiving is a time of thanking your God for the blessings.  Thank God for your church, your faith family. Best way to show gratitude for your church is to be faithful, nothing is more discouraging to God than half commitment. 

Be thankful for your future. Sometimes the future is what gets us through the tough times. Jesus has promised, provided, paid, and prepared for us a future with Him.  The future is just ahead of us. 

May these tank fillers keep your tank full.  “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” (Philippians 1:3)

Happy Thanksgiving!