Have a grateful Thanksgiving

I hope you have a meaningful Thanksgiving, with the thankful part not overshadowed by shopping, football, gluttony, family spats, or other distractions.  Towards that end, this special edition of the Cranach blog will offer some meditations about things we really should be thankful for.  Remember that comment made by someone–Chesterton?  It sounds like Chesterton.  Please source it in the comments if you know who it was–to the effect that one of the sad parts of being an atheist is feeling thankful, without having anyone to thank. As for Christians, we do know Whom to thank and must never take even the commonest of His blessings for granted. 

The Catechism says it all:

I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them.

He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life.

He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil.

All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him.