1

Give Thanks in all Circumstances

2

(I Thessalonians 5:18)

"give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

3

Close your eyes for one minute, please! How is it? Wouldn't it be hard to always live life closing your eyes? I would like to introduce a woman who gave thanks to God even though she was blind.

4

This is Helen Keller.

5

Helen Keller was born in 1880.

When she was 19 months old, she caught a fever from an unknown cause.

6

After the disease, Helen Keller opened her eyes but she could not see, hear, or say anymore.

This was tragic news.

7

Helen had three obstacles in her life.

She was influenced by her teacher Anne Sullivan.

Anne Sullivan taught Helen not only words but also love.

Helen overcame her disability and finally learned how to speak.

8

One day, Helen asked with a slurred speech to a friend who had gone to the woods. "What have you seen in the woods?" The friend wrote on the palm of her hand. "I didn't see anything special." The friend did not think about it specifically because she had always seen those things before.

9

Helen was surprised to hear her friend and thought, 'She can see everything but why has she not seen anything?' Helen wished that she could see even if only for a few days.

10

Her wish was that she could see at least for three days.

She wrote the title of the book, "If Only to See for Three Days."

11

The book quotes, "On the first day of the three, I would want to go to Anne Sullivan who taught me and see her. I want to look at her face and beautiful body that I have known with my fingertips and keep her image locked forever in my mind.

12

I would want to meet my friends and go to the mountains to see beautiful flowers and the brightness of the sun.

13

On the second day, I would want to get up early and see the sunrise.

Then, stay up to see the shining stars in the evening.

14

On the third day, I would want to see all of the bright faces of the people passing by on main street in the morning.

15

I would want to see a movie at lunchtime and see all of the colorful neon lights as well as all of the things through the store windows.

16

After coming back home in the evening, I would give thanks to God." We realize that we have many thankful things through Helen Keller. If we do not give thanks to God about everything given from God, we may be foolish.

17

Helen Keller was blind during her whole life, yet she did not complain about her disability. She lived to give hope to the handicapped by saying that God never fails. When we give thanks to God, we can receive the grace of a miracle like Helen.