Gratitude

 

This morning, I ran across an article about how keeping a journal can help in making a difference in our lives. I thought you might enjoy it, so please read on:

How Keeping a Gratitude Journal Can Make a Difference in Your Life

The power of giving thanks on a daily basis can bring you closer to God.

(credit: Rick Hamlin)

Some Bible verses are so clear it’s hard to ignore them. Like Paul’s admonishment: “Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1Thessalonians 5:18).

“Okay, Paul,” I want to respond, “but you’re asking a lot.” How on earth do I give thanks in all circumstances? What if I don’t feel thankful? Why do it in the first place?

Maybe Paul suggests we do it because it’s good for us.

Years ago, someone talked me into keeping a gratitude journal. The goal: put down at least three things everyday that you’re grateful for. Dutifully I did. On some days I wasn’t even sure what I was thankful for, but because I’d promised to write three things down, I’d look for something.

Even things as mundane as, “Thank you, God, for the comb I used on my hair this morning,” adding almost as an afterthought, “Thank you, God, that I even have hair to comb.”  Gray and thinning…but there it is. “Thank you, God, for my bathroom mirror, too.”  “And the light above it.”

In time I began to see the usefulness of a regular practice of thanksgiving. When I looked for stuff, especially on days I didn’t think I could find anything, things came to mind, things you’d never even thought of. Like…

“Thanks, God, for the friend who texted me this morning…”

“Thanks, God, for all the books on our shelves.” Instead of complaining about running out of shelf space, couldn’t I be grateful for the gift of reading?

“Thanks, God, for my phone.” All those things I can do with it, the world at my fingertips, not to mention the weather, the time, the news, photos, family, friends, Bible verses.

“Thanks, God, for the water that comes out of my faucet.” Clean, clear, fresh. Hot and cold running water. Amazing.

“Thanks, God, for the cup I use every morning.”

“Thanks, God, for the reading light next to my bed.”

“Thanks, God, for the opportunity to thank You.”

Somehow writing things down made thankfulness more real. I had tangible examples. I could read them back and smile.

Then one day after a series of disappointments and setbacks and an overwhelming sense of failure, a gloomy depression came sinking over me. I knew I needed a big dose of thankfulness. This was the chance to test Paul’s dictum of “in all circumstances.”

I went outside, notebook in hand, sat on a bench and started writing. I’d put every little thing I could think of that I was thankful for. My church, the names of friends, my colleagues at work, a favorite teacher. By the time I was finished I’d filled a whole page.

Most importantly, my mood had changed. The gloom began to lift. I was more myself.

My thankful self. Because it is that self that knows God and feels God and loves God as God loves me. 

There, one more thing to be thankful for!

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This is a great idea. It is something that I actually used to do. Maybe I should start up again. Back when I kept a journal, I would add my prayer requests to it as well.

In these evil days, we need God more than ever!

A journal like this could be a real help to us to stay on track, knowing God is close by to take care of us.

Thanks for coming by today, Friends.

Have a blessed day.

An Attitde of Gratitue

I haven't always been grateful for what God has done for me. There were times in trying to do things my way, that I didn't even understand what that meant.

And I can't say that was just in that was just in my younger life. No, it was even in my older life, that I wasn't so grateful.

Just a few short years ago. In fact, two short years ago. When my marriage of 52 years seemed to produce nothing but anger between my spouse and myself. 

And then suddenly and quite unexpectedly, our marriage ended with his death. And the regret of having given up and not trying to work  our frustrations out came.

God promises us to never leave or forsake us through and in this 2 plus years since that time, He has taught me a lot.

And He has taught me to be grateful for those years. 

Not only so, but we[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5

For Christmas that year, my daughter gave me a hoodie that has the word Hope written on the sleeve.

That was especially meaningful to me because all of a sudden that is what I needed. What would happen with me now? I did not know. But I recognized then that my hope in God was what would get me through. 

And it has. He has.

Sadly, I have two friends who are going through very similar things with their husbands that I was before my husband passed.

The husband of one friend has just recently found out he has cancer and what she said to me, "I have to get a handle on this anger." 

Anger that for her has built up with the years. And now he has cancer and they weren't sure how long he might have to live.

After my own husband passed, when they would complain to me, I would tell them, "Remember that one day, if he passes first, all of the things you are going through with him will be a just a memory."

I was attempting to make them realize not to take for granted the days they had with their husbands. Because they could end abruptly and then there could be regret for not trying harder. For just giving up. 

Of course, when you are living in it day after day, that is hard and maybe even impossible to see from someone else's viewpoint.

It took my husband's death for me to learn to be grateful for all those years that God was always with me, growing me into what I was to experience just 2 years ago. I don't think I would be anywhere in life without that. 

He has given me the strength to endure it, and yet I had to come to grips with my failures in our marriage and could not keep heaping the blame all on him.

I am thankful for my life with my husband. He was a good man and though maybe a bit hard on the kids at times, he was also a good father. He did love us. 

And I am grateful for God for giving him to us for the time on earth that we had him. 

I did not see it before his death.

But I do now. 

So please do not miss my point.

“I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.”  Psalm 86:12

Develop an attitude of gratitude now.

Not just because it is Thanksgiving. Make it a way of life for every day. For every season.

Because you don't know where God may be leading you. 

And you don't want to end up regretting the things that you could have done to try to make things better. 

Thanks for stopping by. God bless you!

Just a word for today

 Are you curious or concerned about end times with all that is going on in the world? Would you like a better understanding of it? 

I have a great resource for you if you'd like to have a better understanding. 

It is:    lostlamb.org

What is there is an understanding of the book of Revelations by a Pastor that has spent 40 years preaching God's Word. 

I encourage you to avail yourself of it. Jesus is coming back  Friends.   It  is important for us to know the things coming 

Have a blessed day in Jesus, my friends.

God Has His Ways...

 ....Of communicating with us. I ran across the following devotion this morning and I want to share it with you as Thanksgiving is on our minds.

Thanksgiving makes me think of the phrase “talk turkey” which means we skip the pleasantries and get straight to the facts.*

Sometimes God talks turkey: Hebrews 4:12 tells us that God’s Word is able to cut through all the surface "bologna" in our lives and judge our hearts.

But in other places, God gently unfolds His purposes. The Old Testament examples are understood more fully through New Testament teaching (1 Corinthians 10:1-13). And Paul says many aspects of the gospel were “secrets” to past generations (Colossians 1:25-26).

God uses different methods to communicate, and so can we. 

Sometimes we need to be straightforward when sharing Christ with others, honestly warning them of their sins. 

Sometimes we need to be gentler, gradually sharing our faith as we get to know a person, starting with examples of God’s faithfulness in our lives without sharing the whole plan of salvation at once. 

The important thing is that we are sharing Christ with others. Today let’s pray for opportunities, whether we talk turkey or start with appetizers.
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* Some people believe this idiom started because of the turkey's distinct, piercing gobbling sound. Others believe it started when Pilgrims began trading with Native Americans to acquire turkeys.

(credit: Bible Love Notes 1 Minute Devotions to Encourage, Instruct and Inspire)

Thanks for coming by today, Friends. May you have a blessed day in Jesus!

Did You Know...

 

...that popcorn, Thanksgiving and Heaven all have something in common? I never thought about it before, but as I was looking for something to post today, I ran across a devotional about that and I wanted to share it with you today. Please read on:

Popcorn is a popular American snack … buttery … fragrant … crunchy … light. 

But do you know popcorn is a "Thanksgiving food" that originated with Native Americans?

Squanto was a Native American who'd become the Pilgrims' trusted friend by offering them help and wisdom to survive their first harsh winter in a new land. When the Pilgrims celebrated their first Thanksgiving in 1621 expressing their gratitude to God, it was natural that Squanto would be an honored guest.

Squanto surprised the Pilgrims by arriving at the Thanksgiving celebration with ninety Native American friends and plenty of wild turkeys to prepare for the feast. And he introduced the Pilgrims to popcorn. 

That first Thanksgiving was a mingling of cultures and races, with mutual respect for their differences and contributions. 

America has always been a "melting pot" of different cultures. Sadly, the respect and kindness has not always been present.

Heaven will be a "melting pot" too when we unite with our true brothers and sisters, knowing that Christ's “blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

I can't imagine a movie without popcorn or America without its rich blend of cultures. And I look forward to heaven where I'll spend eternity with my ransomed brothers and sisters from around the globe!

Let's celebrate that love and respect this Thanksgiving!

Resource: David Manuel and Peter Marshall, The Light and the Glory (Fleming Revell, NJ, 1977).

I encourage you to read this other devotion:

5 Kernels of Corn: This true story about the Pilgrims will bless you and build your faith.

Credit:

1-Minute Bible Love Notes )

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It was 19 years ago today that I lost my precious father when Jesus took him home. It was a devastating blow for me, but I cannot believe where the time has gone since that time. 

We lose our friends and loved ones to death as our own lives go on and maybe we don't think so much of where the time is going until we have lost so many. 

It is a bittersweet day today. I have lost family members, but they are not really lost. Because those most precious are with Jesus. And I can especially rejoice today because my dad gave me the most wonderful gift when I was young.

He led me to Jesus who dad now resides with in heaven. And I have the hope of seeing him again, as well as my mom and my husband and others that I miss dearly.

Someday soon, I will get to spend eternity with them who wait for me there in glory. 

And even more I will get to spend it with Jesus, who dad led me to so many years ago.

I can't say that I love popcorn all that much. Its ok. But this Thanksgiving I will spend it with family and friends, like always while I wait for the ultimate time in my life...heaven.

That is the hope I have. Getting to spend it with them will be better than any joy I have had here on earth. (Although I have had much joy here)

And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee. Psalm 39:7

I pray that you have that hope in Jesus as well.

Because Thanksgiving really can't be thankful without it.

Thanks for coming by today and may God bless

That We Should Be So Blessed

 It's been a crazy crazy and I mean crazy month. With the election and the stuff still going on in Washington and around the country, we sometimes forget that this month is also a time when we should be thankful to God for all He has done in our lives.

Of course, we should be thankful every month and in fact, every day of our lives. Not just for this one.

I don't know if you have ever experienced a hard Thanksgiving holiday. Perhaps when you didn't have enough food to feed your family a grand meal that day. Or there had been a loss in your family and you could not bear the celebrations due to something like that. 

I know there are many people that have. In my own life, even though some years have been hard, my Thanksgivings have always been blessed in some way or another. 

I thought for the rest of this month, I want to share some inspirational stories that give us pause to just be thankful to God for all He has done for us. 

And maybe you will find one of those stories that you could share with your family and friends at your Thanksgiving table. 

And so, with that being said, please read on:

Date: November 26, 2013Author: Coach Muller20 Comments

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet.  He held up a sign which said: “I am blind, please help.”

There were only a few coins in the hat.

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat.  He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy.  That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were.

The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, “Were you the one who changed my sign this morning?  What did you write?”

The man said, “I only wrote the truth.  I said what you said but in a different way.” I wrote: “Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it.”

Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.

The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling. And even more beautiful, is knowing that you are the reason behind it!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

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Author: Unknown

Many people today suffer from diseases that just can't be fixed even with the modern medicine that has come a long way. We have blindness and partial blindness in my own family, along with many other diseases.

And yet, there are much worse things that others have to deal with. And so, I have learned, no matter what I have gone through, I am thankful for my own life. 

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

Yes, God is good, and we should always be thankful to Him for all that He has done. For there are so many that aren't and it's a sad way to live.

Thanks for coming by today, Friends. Have a blessed day!

Post break update

 Update: Hello Friends

My family is going home today, so I will be back again tomorrow to start posting again. Thanks for your patience!

Hello Friends.  I have decided to take a break from my blog. My family arrived earlier then expected and will be here until next weekend.  It will be a very busy week.  I hope you will continue to reread some of my posts and if not, I hope you will visit again at the end of next week. 

Thanks so much for your commitment to coming by and I pray I have been a blessing to you.

God bless you richly!