Gratitude, Grace & Gehrig

“For three things I thank God every day of my life: thanks that he has vouchsafed me knowledge of his works; deep thanks that he has set in my darkness the lamp of faith; deep, deepest thanks that I have another life to look forward to – a life joyous with light and flowers and heavenly song.” Helen Keller

Note: America’s Thanksgiving holiday is this week.

Lou Gehrig, one of the greatest baseball players who ever lived, understood thanksgiving.

His nickname, the Iron Horse, originated because for years he never missed a game for rest, illness, or injury. On May 2, 1939, he voluntarily stepped out of the lineup after 17 years as a New York Yankee and 2,130 consecutive games.

His skills had diminished because of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The disease that took his life is also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

His farewell address in Yankee Stadium began, Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth.

Incredible grace! Powerful perspective! Astonishing gratitude!

Paul tells the Church in Thessalonica, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Maybe this Thanksgiving we could all learn a lesson from the Iron Horse. We have so much to be grateful for, yet we tend to focus on unfulfilled expectations and unrealized dreams. Let’s thank God for His blessings and remember His grace in our lives.

Dan Bolin

President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc