Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-01-26
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IL ~ LIZZIE O THOMAS MzA1T
SOME JANUARY THOUGHTS

For a week boreas. and his sort. must
have tried To make a lasting impress
sion on this part OF the country There
were first some beautiful days 10 make
us remember when recalling January.
My plans seemed 10 he all Tor spring.
but memory kept suggesting the sort
OF weather that swept the country this
time last year and / tried to prepare
for bad roads and the demands lot
of chickens would make on the feed
house, and am glad 10 say that when
the glaze" caught US l could shut all
OF them up and know that they would
not be hungry.
There is a cedar and second growth
pine thicket not far from the barn and
the dry cattle have been using II Tor
their refuge. but this time they all
came TO the house and got under the
shed THAT has three sides enclosed,
or went into their stalls. The rain and
snow and winds have persisted in
routing Old Sol and IL has been good
TO let things be comfortable and 10
hover over the fire and remember that
this has been a delightful winter up
iii row Somebody may remind US
tEat there have been other cold, bad
days, 1 admit as much but make
red mark on your calendar every day
that gives US sunshine, or pleasure and
then AZ the time Of adversely count
them In the meantime do the best
that you can for other people and the
DAYS will become pleasant even II the
sun does not shine
In my daily reading I found beau
tifuI passage and I am going 10 give
il TO you who read this page:
Learn to be grateful; don't take
blessings and favOrs as matter or
course: you have done nothing TO merit
them. and why should YOU receive them
as il they were your right? You owe
God everything. What have you done
for him. He has given you life, and
insteid OF being thankful for every
breath you draw. you murmur and COM
plain that your lot was not cast IN a
different place. that YOU must have
trials. that you must suffer pain that
YOU must shed tears and bear sorrow
and have disappointments, and lose
friends. and oh. basest ingratitude, you
often grieve him by wishing that ne
had never given you life at all Get
all you can out OF this gift Be glad
that you are alive and make yourseh
a mart Of creation and God. Look up
20 him and be thankful. And wheh
loving favors are showered on you oy
earthly friends. receive them with low
ing gratitude. often they have been ex-
tended 10 you through some act OF SELF
denial. the meaning of which you may
never understand Let your whole Ire
be one OF gratitude, and take the oppor-
tunity to- show il whenever you can
These cold. dreary days can only
be made Hvable by being lovable ana
loving The man or woman VINO Is so
encased in self as 10 draw the easiest
chair 10 the warmest corner and stay
there gets some material warmth out
that heart gets 10 be fossil As the
years pass do you see little children
or animals draw near that sortE Not
at all. even the faithful house dog seeks
a less favored place The two-year-old
never searches such pockets for dam
ties though their sharp eyes soon learn
10 know the bulge that tells them OF
he candy bought and kept for purely
personal satisfaction
knew a young woman VINO had 10
en- AWAY from her work in a busy city.
She was sent 10 small town in dis-
tant state TO get thoroughly rested.
on. the letters that. ] got from ner.
Here is one thought that often came
IN in her letters: There's land that
* fairer than this" and "Oh. think OF
a home over there and songs OF that
sort are all that these people know
They laugh and tell jokes and seem 10
have moderately good time But their
songs are no help 20 them In times OF
trouble Why can't they learn cheer-