By By Adam Prestridge
Their work can’t go without notice. In fact, it shouldn’t.
The dedication members of the Concerned Citizens of Atmore showed Saturday during their annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner was, by far, a blessing. The men and women, children and families that benefited from the group’s efforts of preparing a homecooked holiday feast were truly grateful for the warm meal, maybe the first for some in a while.
Each year, I have the pleasure of covering this event, and each year, I leave with a better sense of gratefulness as I am able to see how tough so many people in our small community have it. It makes me thankful for my family and friends, health, job, shelter and all the many other blessings I benefit from each day.
Sunday evening, I was in attendance at First Baptist Church Atmore for the annual Community Thanksgiving Service. During the service, numerous ministers from various denominations came before the congregation and expressed their views about Thanksgiving. Each agreed that most people do thank God during this holiday for the material possessions they have, but forget to be thankful for the things in life many of, if not most, of us take for granted.
During Atmore United Methodist Church preacher Jim Reece’s featured sermon, he mentioned many of those things that are overlooked on Thanksgiving when giving thanks. Those things he mentioned included what each of us see, hear, taste, touch and smell on a daily basis while living amongst God’s creations.
So this Thanksgiving, I’m going to picture the faces of those waiting in line at Zion Star A.M.E. Zion Church, hungry, cold and dirty, waiting for a hot meal, and give thanks for not only the material possessions I have, but the air I breath each day as I wake to live another day. A day I don’t have to worry about eating, staying warm and dry and knowing where I’ll sleep.
Happy Thanksgiving and God bless!
Adam Prestridge is publisher of the Atmore Advance. He can be reached at 368-2123.