"In All Circumstances"

I have a book I read that is very close to my heart.  It is called "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom.  It is a true story of a Christian family during World War II who runs an underground ring to hide Jews from the German soldiers.  The  book is full of profound statements that encourages me when I see the horrors of the world around me.  I usually pick up this book at poignant times in my life;  the gulf war, the fall of the Berlin Wall, graduating college, getting married, 9/11, the war against terrorism, the death of someone close to me, the birth of my children etc...

This month, I think of a little girl who was murdered and I begin reading "The Hiding Place" once again.  I come to the page in the book where the Bible tells us to "Be thankul in all circumstance".  Sometimes, this idea seems almost impossible. Here is the excerpt from the book that I hope we can all think about as we come upon this year's Thanksgiving holiday:

Corrie and her sister Betsie have been transferred to another prison camp as Bessie finds the good in all of this evil:

"That's it, Corrie!  That's His answer.  'Give thanks in all circumstances!'  That's what we can do.   We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!" 
I stared at her, then around me at the dark, foul-aired room.  "Such as?"  I said.
"Such as being assigned here together."
I bit my lip.  "Oh yes, Lord Jesus!"
"Such as what you're holding in your hands."
I looked down at the Bible.  "Yes!  Thank You, dear Lord, that there was no inspection when we entered here! 
Thank you for all the women, here in this room, who will meet You in these pages."
"Yes," said Betsie.  "Thank You for the very crowding here.  Since we're packed so close, that many more will hear!"  She looked at me expectantly.  "Corrie!"  she prodeded. 
"Oh, all right.  Thank You for the jammed, crammed, stuffed, packed, suffocating crowds." 
"Thank You," Betsie went on serenely, "for the fleas and for----"
The fleas!  This was too much.  "Betsie, there's no way even God can make me grateful for a flea."
"'Give thanks in all circumstances,'" she quoted.  "It doesn't say, 'in pleasant circumstances.' Fleas are part of this place where God has put us."
And so we stood between the piers of bunks and gave thanks for fleas.
But this time I was sure Betsie was wrong.

----Corrie and Betsie were able to lead Bible studies every night without being caught by the guards.  They could have been killed for even owning a Bible.  Later on in the story, they found out why:

"You know we've never understood why we had so much freedom in the big room," she said.  "Well--I've found out."
That afternoon, she said, there'd been confusion in her knitting group about sock sizes and they'd asked the supervisor to come and settle it.......She wouldn't step through the door and neither would the guards.  And you know why?" 
Betsie could not keep the triumph from her voice:  "Because of the fleas!  That's what she said, 'That place is crawling with fleas!'"
My mind rushed back to our first hour in this place.  I remembered Betsie's bowed head, remembered her thanks to God for creatures I could see no use for.


I am not trying to start a book club...but I practically have this book memorized and this passage from the book has been on my heart and mind so I hope you don't mind me sharing.

Have a Thankful Holiday.