A DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING POEM

When I was a young turkey, new to the coop, 
My big brother Mike took me out on the stoop,
Then he sat me down, and he spoke real slow, 
And he told me there was something that I had to know;
His look and his tone I will always remember, 
When he told me of the horrors of..... Black November;
"Come about August, now listen to me, 
Each day you'll get six meals instead of just three.
"And soon you'll be thick, where once you were thin, 
and you'll grow a big rubbery thing under your chin;
"And then one morning, when you're warm in your bed, 
In'll burst the farmer's wife, and hack off your head;
"Then she'll pluck out all your feathers so you're bald 'n pink, 
And scoop out all your insides and leave ya lyin' in the sink;
"And then comes the worst part" he said not bluffing, 
“She'll spread your cheeks and pack your rear with stuffing."
Well, the rest of his words were too grim to repeat, 
I sat on the stoop like a winged piece of meat,
And decided on the spot that to avoid being cooked, 
I'd have to lay low and remain overlooked;
I began a new diet of nuts and granola, 
High-roughage salads, juice and diet cola;
And as they ate pastries, chocolates and crepes, 
I stayed in my room doing Jane Fonda tapes;
I maintained my weight of two pounds and a half, 
And tried not to notice when the bigger birds laughed;
But 'twas I who was laughing, under my breath, 
As they chomped and they chewed, ever closer to death; 
And sure enough when Black November rolled around, 
I was the last turkey left in the entire compound;
So now I'm a pet in the farmer's wife's lap; 
I haven't a worry, so I eat and I nap;
She held me today, while sewing and humming, 
And smiled at me and said "Christmas is coming..." 

Expressions of Thanksgiving Ephesians 5:15-20   Upon receiving a present, we ordinarily thank the giver. This should be true of divine gifts as well. God tells us that all good gifts are from Him (James 1:17). What’s more, He instructs us to “always [give] thanks for all things” (Ephesians 5:20). But how can we adequately express our gratitude to the Lord? Give thanks with sound. We can speak of our gratitude to the Lord in private or in public. Thanksgiving can also be conveyed through music—Jonah 2:9 says, “But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you” (niv). God delights in heartfelt gratitude expressed musically, whether through informal singing or in choirs and orchestras. Give thanks by living holy lives. As a response to God’s goodness and faithfulness, we should honor Him with our obedience. Paul expressed it this way: “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” (Romans 12:1). Give thanks through generosity. If we’re truly grateful for what we receive, we’ll gladly share our time, money, gifts, and resources. It is easy to become possessive of what we deem ours, forgetting that it is actually from God; then, with an attitude of selfishness, we might hold His blessings tightly. What we should do, however, is give back to the Lord joyfully. How do you express your gratitude to God? Take time today to identify some of His countless blessings in your life, and offer Him heartfelt thanks. For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.