November 21, 2018 I was in my kitchen happily baking my famous cheesecakes. It was time to take them out of the oven, as I’ve done probably close to one hundred times.  I removed the cheesecake off the rack, and within seconds my daughter came running into the kitchen due to the shrill of pain.

The piping hot cheesecake landed on my left hand! My first instinct wasn’t to take care of the burn, but to keep my dog, Charlie Brown from licking the hot cheesecake that landed on the floor.

As I watched the color of my skin change colors and small blisters slowly pop up on my hand, my daughter kicked Charlie Brown out of the kitchen and immediately began to soothe the burn. The injury was bad but it wasn’t bad enough where it warranted a visit to an urgent care….at least I didn’t think so because I didn’t ‘t go…LOL.

In that moment, my flesh was instantly irritated. In my mind I’m thinking how am I going to finish prepping for Thanksgiving dinner? Funny…I’m irritated while prepping for “Thanks”giving dinner.

My daughter calmly and forcibly said, “Ma sit down.” As she concentrated while doctoring on my blistered hand, I remembered a devotional I previously read. It was about a woman’s choice to be irritated or grateful when her oven went out in the middle of cooking dinner. The woman decided to be grateful in the midst of a broken oven. She said, “I could think of all the reason I could be upset about my oven not working, but instead I choose to think on all the great things I am so blessed to have in the midst of a broken oven.” Of all the devotions and other blogs I’ve read, why in that moment did that particular memory come to mind….LOL. Yes, the Holy Spirit was tapping me and I was convicted. I took a deep breath and decided to imitate her example.

I began to rehearse in my mind what I was grateful for. “Lord, I’m grateful no one else was hurt. I’m thankful I didn’t get 3^rd degree burn. I’m grateful my daughter was home to help me. I’m grateful I still have both of my hands. The list went on and a smile came over my face because it could have been worse.

As I gave thanks, the peace of God filled my heart. Even though I had a burned hand, I had a great God!

Psalm 50:23(ESV), talks about the power of thanksgiving to open the door to God’s presence., “The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly   I will show the salvation of God!”

Being thankful doesn’t come automatically. It is often a sacrifice. This verse reassures us the sacrifice of thanksgiving is not in vain; on the contrary, it pleases God! And if we walk in the commandments of God (on His path), we will see the saving power of God in our daily lives. What a promise and reward!

The more we give God the sacrifice of thanks, the more we can see Him working out all things for good.

Despite burning my hand that day, I was grateful my daughter was there to calm me down and tend to the burn. She lifted my spirits on an otherwise not-so-great moment.

If I hadn’t prepped my heart with gratitude as I sat in the kitchen chair, I may not have noticed the care and concentration my daughter had in making sure I was okay. I might have missed the blessing of God’s goodness that He put in my path.

The sacrifice of thankfulness is ALWAYS worth it! No matter our circumstances we truly do have a great God.

PEARLStoPONDER: Lord Jesus, there is no one like You. You are worthy of all praise and thanksgiving. Thank You for meeting all my needs today. Thank You that in Your presence is fullness of joy.

Psalm 106:1-- Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 107:21-- Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!

Colossians 4:2-- Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

2 Corinthians 9:11-- You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

1 Timothy 4:4-5-- For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.