"Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" (Psalm 107:15)

When we look on the back of a handmade oriental rug, we see a clashing chaos of confusing color and thousands of knots. Instead of an object of beauty and admiration, if all we saw was the back of the rug, we might consider it a worthless mess of threads. However, turn the rug over and, suddenly, we appreciate the intricate colorful design and the skill of the rug maker.

Likewise, when we are looking at only the back of the rug in our lives, we will not give thanks for the bounty and richness of God's blessings. We need to look at the front of the rug and appreciate and give thanks for God's goodness. We should not allow the problems, distractions, and irritations of life rob us of the joyful spirit. (From Wayne Greeson)