The Thanks Box

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• Twenty-three years ago, our family began a "Thanksgiving" tradition. I cannot take credit for the idea, but, neither can I remember where it came from.
  
  With my help, my three little girls decorated an oatmeal canister and chose an appropriate "thanks" verse from the Bible, which was pasted on one side. This years' is from Isaiah 51:3: "For the LORD shall comfort Zion: and He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody."
  
  Throughout the year, anyone (even a guest) is encouraged to place a note of thanks to God. These tiny messages of praise and thanksgiving have ranged from "Thank You, God, that I found my lost shoe" to "Thank you, Lord, for water from the creek, while the pipes were frozen" to "Praise God for Jesus' saving grace in my daughter's life, as she has made a full surrender to You". They are written on post-a-notes, receipts, envelopes and scraps, then folded and deposited through a hole in the top of the can. Sometimes, this is done secretly, the note folded many times, enclosing a penny or a drawing. At other times, the author of the note draws much attention to the fact that they have a special note of thanksgiving to add to our box.
  
  Near the Thanksgiving holiday, but sometimes as late in the year as Christmas, we gather in the evening for a special time of praise, as the notes are read, one by one, around the table. Even those who are not yet able to read, have a turn to draw one out, and the person next to them reads it for them. This process takes some time; but is always worth it. Often, we are delighted to find that many of us thanked God for the same thing, over and over. Conversely, there are notes read that had escaped anyone elses' remembrance.
  
  And, then, a time of prayer...
  
  One unexpected blessing is that these notes combine to form a diary (of sorts) of our year. We are reminded of events and answered prayers. The growth that has taken place in our home in one year's time is made evident. Another side benefit, is the offerings of money that collect with the offerings of praise and thanksgiving. After all the notes are read, the children sort, count and package the coins to be given to a predetermined charity or cause.
  
  The "grand finale" of this ceremony is the burning of the notes. The solemnity of this act is not dependent upon whether this small fire takes place in the wood-stove, barbecue grill or a tin pie plate on the front porch. A song or hymn is sung by all as the smoke ascends in a symbolic "sweet savor " of praise to God for all His many benefits. One of our favorites is a round: "Let our voices rise like incense, let them be as sweet perfume. Let our praises fill the temple, Hallelujahs ringing for our God. Holy, holy, is the Lord Almighty. Holy, holy is the Lord our God."
  
  Not many days after, a new verse is chosen, and the can redecorated, if need be.
  
  My "little girls" are now grown women, and we have added five more children to our circle of praise since beginning The Thanks Box. This tradition of giving of thanks has stood the test of time and has established a precious anchor of memories for our family.