Turning Mountains into Molehills - Thankful for Porcelain
Have you ever been thankful for porcelain toilets? My husband and I travel to many countries while visiting orphans in our care. Some encounters on these trips include filthy pit latrines or overflowing and non-working toilets. Therefore, we joke about writing a book called “Toilets of the World,” to share some of our more unique experiences without porcelain. And, we found a few rural places in India that the only option was a field instead of proper toilets. Poverty does not give the luxury of clean restrooms to many in the world. Diseases spread because of these unfortunate sanitation situations. When we travel somewhere new, I wait with baited breathe to see if we will have porcelain or not.
God instructs us throughout the Bible to give thanks often and in every situation. Click To Tweet
Thankful
Are you wondering why I am bringing up toilets on my blog? In light of seeing the kind of poverty that does not allow for clean sanitation reminds me of how blessed I am to live in the developed world. Pit latrines taught me to be thankful for even the littlest things in my life. Therefore, I appreciate our toilets in this country.
“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”
Webster defines thankfulness as “conscious of benefits received.” The Bible gives us many verses about being Thankful. For example, one verse comes to mind as I balance over a pit latrine in a developing country. The verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:18; “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Another verse that I think about is Colossians 4:2; “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” God instructs us throughout the Bible to give thanks often and in every situation.
Hoarding
In light of our current pandemic, I also appreciate toilet paper. As store shelves empty of this commodity, I remember many bathrooms around the world do not provide any paper. Thankfulness fills my heart when I find some to buy. But some people hoard the TP when they find it in the store in case they run out. Gratefully, God does not hoard His blessings from us. He gives them to us freely. Meanwhile, all He asks in return is to provide Him the thanks and glory.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”
I find it harder to be grateful when things are going well. Why do we forget to be thankful when life is comfortable? I try to find ways to help me to remember to give thanks. I decided to keep a photo of a pit latrine from one of our mission trips to Kenya taped to my computer’s side. This picture reminds me to give thanks in all circumstances. What do you do to remind yourself how blessed you are by God and to always be thankful?
God does not hoard His blessings from us. He gives them to us freely. Meanwhile, all He asks in return is to provide Him the thanks and glory. Click To Tweet
Prayer
Jesus, I am so thankful for my family, home, porcelain toilet, and all you have provided for me. Help me remember to praise you, and thank you for everything in my life. Amen.
Blessings,
Yvonne M. Morgan – author, blogger, and speaker
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
100% of the proceeds from sales of my book, Turning Mountains Into Molehills, help the orphans at Orphan Relief Effort, Inc.
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