Heavenly Father, I am thankful for ...

Most of us, if not at every meal, offer words of thanksgiving when all the family is gathered for a holiday meal. Besides being thankful for the loved ones gathered there, what is on your list of God-given blessings?

We usually give thanks for the food, which, at my house is in abundance. When thanking God for this wonderfully prepared dinner, do I take time to consider what a blessing it is? Rarely, if ever, have I missed a meal and I have never been hungry after a meal. When I have a small meal - usually when I'm dieting - there is still more than enough to meet my nutritional needs.

Stories from returning missionaries break my heart.
There are families in this world who must share one cup of rice for their one meal of the day. There are children who are asked to suck on a stone in order to banish hunger pains.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that

• nearly 870 million of the 7.1 billion people in the world, were suffering from chronic undernourishment in 2010-2012. That is one in eight people.
  
• Most of those who are hungry, 852 million, live in developing countries. They represent 15 percent of the population of those countries.
  
• In the developed countries of the world, there are 16 million who are considered undernourished.
  
• According to the 2010 census, over 46 million Americans are living in poverty. One in every five children is in danger of going without adequate food to meet their nutritional needs.

In contrast:

• According to a study done in 2010, almost two billion people worldwide are overweight.
  
• Statistics of 2009-2010 show that, in the United States, 69.2% of adults, age twenty and over are overweight including obesity.
  
• In those statistics, of adolescents age twelve to nineteen, 18.4 % are obese. In children age six to eleven, the percentage was 18% and in children age two to five, 12.1% are obese.

Thoughts:

• Always, always, thank God for the food he provides.
  
• I can't cure world hunger, but I can make one small offering and let God multiply it.
  
• Think about having a smaller Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Gather the family together, serving a family favorite, and pray for those who have little. Take the money you would have spent on a lavish meal and purchase food for the homeless shelter or food bank.
  
• As a family, serve at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter.
  
• Contact the Salvation Army or Volunteers of America to adopt a family and meet their needs this Christmas.
  
• Contact The Mercy Project to serve at any time.

Sources:
Worldwidewatch.org
www.Cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/overwt.htm
https://www.voami.org/
https://mercyprojects.com/


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