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Nov 18: I Am Thankful

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I AM THANKFUL- Author Unknown

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE WIFE
WHO SAYS IT’S HOTDOGS TONIGHT,
BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME
AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE HUSBAND
WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO,
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME
AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE TEENAGER
WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING THE DISHES
BECAUSE THAT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME
AND NOT ON THE STREETS.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE TAXES
THAT I PAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS
THAT I AM EMPLOYED.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE MESS
TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY
BECAUSE IT MEANS
THAT I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE CLOTHES
THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

I AM THANKFUL FOR MY SHADOW
THAT WATCHES ME WORK
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE.

I AM THANKFUL FOR A LAWN
THAT NEEDS MOWING,
WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING,
AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING,
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE A HOME.

I AM THANKFUL FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING
I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE IT MEANS
THAT WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE PARKING SPOT
I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING
AND THAT I HAVE BEEN
BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.

I AM THANKFUL FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM WARM.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE LADY
BEHIND ME IN CHURCH
THAT SINGS OFF KEY
BECAUSE IT MEANS
THAT I CAN HEAR.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE PILE
OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.

I AM THANKFUL FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES
AT THE END OF THE DAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.

AND…

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE ALARM
THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
BECAUSE IT MEANS
THAT I AM ALIVE.

The Bible has a lot to say about thankfulness. One of the most well-known passages is “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Today’s poem is a good example of this in that it looks at situations that might invite complaints and finds a reason to be thankful for that very situation. I love that way of looking at life. We’ve all heard about two people who look at a glass filled halfway with liquid: one person sees it as half empty and the other as half full. I think I may have mentioned in a previous post a student of mine who said that both viewpoints were wrong. His philosophy is, if the glass is half full, drink it and fill it back up again! I thought that was very profound, especially for a 13-year-old ‘country boy!’

Colossians 3:15-20 says, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” If we would all adopt that passage as our life’s motto, think of what a wonderful world we would have!

This week, continue to look for the positive in every situation. Drink those half full glasses, and pour yourself a new glass of crystal clear, sparkling life!

Have a blessed day!

I am Thankful

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AM THANKFUL-  Author Unknown

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE WIFE
WHO SAYS IT’S HOTDOGS TONIGHT,
BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME
AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE HUSBAND
WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO,
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME
AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE TEENAGER
WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING THE DISHES
BECAUSE THAT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME
AND NOT ON THE STREETS.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE TAXES
THAT I PAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS
THAT I AM EMPLOYED.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE MESS
TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY
BECAUSE IT MEANS
THAT I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE CLOTHES
THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

I AM THANKFUL FOR MY SHADOW
THAT WATCHES ME WORK
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE.

I AM THANKFUL FOR A LAWN
THAT NEEDS MOWING,
WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING,
AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING,
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE A HOME.

I AM THANKFUL FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING
I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE IT MEANS
THAT WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE PARKING SPOT
I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING
AND THAT I HAVE BEEN
BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.

I AM THANKFUL FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM WARM.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE LADY
BEHIND ME IN CHURCH
THAT SINGS OFF KEY
BECAUSE IT MEANS
THAT I CAN HEAR.

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE PILE
OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.

I AM THANKFUL FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES
AT THE END OF THE DAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.

AND…

I AM THANKFUL FOR THE ALARM
THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
BECAUSE IT MEANS
THAT I AM ALIVE.

**********************************************************************************************************

The Bible has a lot to say about thankfulness. One of the most well-known passages is “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).  Today’s poem is a good example of this in that it looks at situations that might invite complaints and finds a reason to be thankful for that very situation.  I love that way of looking at life.  We’ve all heard about two people who look at a glass filled halfway with liquid:  one person sees it as half empty and the other as half full.  I think I may have mentioned in a previous post a student of mine who said that both viewpoints were wrong.  His philosophy is, if the glass is half full, drink it and fill it back up again!   I thought that was very profound, especially for a 13-year-old ‘country boy!’

Colossians 3:15-20 says, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”  If we would all adopt that passage as our life’s motto, think of what a wonderful world we would have!

This week, continue to look for the positive in every situation.  Drink those half full glasses, and pour yourself a new glass of crystal clear, sparkling life!

Have a blessed day!

God, Can I ask you a Question?

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God, Can I Ask You a Question- author unknown

Me: God, can I ask You a question?
God: Sure
Me: Promise You won’t get mad
God: I promise
Me: Why did You let so much stuff happen to me today?
God: What do you mean?
Me: Well, I woke up late
God: Yes
Me: My car took forever to start
God: Okay
Me: At lunch they made my sandwich wrong & I had to wait
 God: Hmmmmm
Me: On the way home, my phone went DEAD, just as I picked up a call
God: All right
 Me: And on top of it all off, when I got home ~I just want to soak my feet in my new foot massager & relax. BUT it wouldn’t work!!! Nothing went right today! Why did You do that?

God: Let me see, the death angel was at your bed this morning & I had to send one
of My Angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that
Me (humbled): OH
GOD: I didn’t let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that would have hit you if you were on the road.
Me: (ashamed)
God: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick & I didn’t want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn’t afford to miss work.
Me (embarrassed):Okay
God: Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give false witness about what you said on that call, I didn’t even let you talk to them so you would be covered.
Me (softly): I see God
 God: Oh and that foot massager, it had a short that would knock out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn’t think you wanted to be in the dark.
Me: I’m Sorry God

God: Don’t be sorry, just learn to trust Me…. in all things , the good & the bad.
Me: I will trust You.
God: And don’t doubt that My plan for your day is always better than your plan.
Me: I won’t God. And let me just tell you God, Thank You for everything today.
God: You’re welcome child. It was just another day being your God and I love looking after My Children…

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Years ago I read a book with this theme and it changed the way I looked at my days.  It brought new meaning to Romans 8:28, that familiar Scripture which says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”  Now, when I have a bad day, I try to remember to look back at it and wonder what may have been going on behind the scenes that was prevented by those very things that I had interpreted as bad.  Yesterday a couple I know had posted on Facebook that they had been delayed for hours when they stopped for a very late dinner on a trip they were making.  I can hardly wait to see if God had someone they needed to talk to- they are pastors and very gifted in telling others about our Lord.

One of my favorite movies at Christmas is It’s a Wonderful Life with James Stewart.  One year, a particularly difficult one for me, I sat after watching it and remembered how many times that year I wished I could go back and change my life.  But on this particular night, I thought about all the things that wouldn’t have happened, all the people I wouldn’t have met, and all the things that did happen as a result of the very things I wanted to change.  I realized that I actually wouldn’t change a single thing about my life.  If I did, I wouldn’t be where I am today.  And where I am today is exactly where I am supposed to be!

Take a new look at all the frustrating or difficult things that may happen today and think about what God may be doing behind the scenes through them.  It will definitely cause an attitude adjustment!

Have a blessed day!

 

Nov 28: Are We Thankful for God’s Miracles?

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Are we Thankful for God’s Miracles?  by Katherine Kehler

 “One of them came back to Jesus, shouting, ‘Glory to God, I’m healed!’ He fell flat on the ground in front of Jesus, face downward in the dust, thanking Him for what He had done…Jesus asked, ‘Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the nine?’” (Luke 17:15-17)

I have often thought about how exciting it will be when we get to heaven and our eyes will be opened to all the miracles God did for us – most of which we were unaware of. We will also come to realize how many times we rationalized away many of the miracles…like the nine lepers who were healed.

The cartoon character, Charlie Brown, gave several suggestions as to why the nine lepers never returned to Jesus to give thanks. They reveal a whole lot about human nature:

One man waited to see if the cure was real.
One waited to see if it would last.
One said he would see Jesus later.
One decided that he had never really had leprosy.
One said he would have gotten well anyway.
One gave the glory to the priests.
One said, “O, well, Jesus didn’t really do anything.”
One said, “Any rabbi could have done it.”
One said, “I was already much improved.”

Think about it…are we thanking God for all He has done and is doing for you? Or are we, like the lepers, rationalizing away God’s miracles?

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We are nearing the end of our month of remembering thankfulness.  I hope it has blessed you as much as it has me!   I am more motivated than ever to live a life of thankfulness no matter what life throws my way.  Even if everything else may seem less than perfect, I know His love for me is always perfect!

Have a blessed day!

Nov 25: Attitude of Gratitude

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Attitude of Gratitude by Helen Lesheid

Everyone needs a mentor, a person who models for you the Christian walk. A person you look up to and say, “I’d like to be like her when I’m that age.”

Anna is this person for me. At 81 Anna lives alone in a small one bedroom apartment in a Salvation Army Senior independent living complex. Her husband died six years ago. Because she’s experiencing severe memory loss, Anna has had to give up driving her car.

But Anna has not a shred of self-pity. Her face was radiant as she told me, “Glen and I had almost 25 years together.” Then she laughed, “Counting our courting days, it was 25 years. His son, Ron, is so good to me. He looks after all my affairs.”

To the loss of her car she said, “Just think how much money I’m saving by not driving a car.” Then she added, “Besides, walking to the mall does me good. I buy my groceries at Save-On-Foods, then haul them home in my little cart. And when I can’t walk anymore, I’ll get a scooter.” She was exuberant that the mall also had a vet office, a bank, a beauty salon and several restaurants. “Everything I need is right here,” she said.

To memory loss she quipped, “Good thing I’m methodical and I write everything down. That helps. And I’m taking medication against Alzheimers.” As we talked about the future she expressed absolutely no fear, only a joyous expectancy of heaven.

When I showed her a photo I’d taken of her on my digital camera, she smiled, “Yes, that’s me.” No disparaging remarks about her looks (like I would have made) not even in jest. As far as Anna was concerned life was good and she was making the best of it.

Anna took me out for lunch at a Chinese restaurant within walking distance to her home. She insisted on paying for the meal. “Then let me give the tip,” I said. She agreed and I left a generous tip on the table. Minutes later I heard her say to the girl at the till, “Please add the tip to the bill.” Just like Anna, I thought, to leave a double blessing.

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My ‘Anna,’ my spiritual mentor, passed away recently.  I am so happy for her- I can just see her dancing around our Savior and praising Him all day long.  She will be missed here on earth, however.  She was much like the Anna in today’s story.  She lived her life in a constant state of thankfulness.  I think her life’s creed was I Thessalonians 5:18, which says, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”  If ever she had something in her life that was making it difficult to give thanks, it didn’t take long before she was able to turn it around and find something to be thankful for.

Anna reminded me of another significant person in my life- my mother.  She is rapidly approaching the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease.  But we so often are able to find the humor in this dreadful condition.  For instance, we took her for the third time to a fairly new restaurant, which she thought was brand new.  We joked that with Alzheimer’s every experience is a fresh and new experience.  The restaurant is eternally new and it is always our first time there.  When recently she lost the last 3 years of her life, memory-wise, we joked that if she keeps doing that and I keep growing a year older, she will soon be younger than her daughter.  Did I ever imagine that I would be able to find humor in this situation?  Not in a million years.  But, we are and for that I am so thankful!

Look for that glimmer of humor, that potential for a silver lining in any situation.  We may not be able to give thanks for the situation, but we can definitely find a way to give thanks in the situation.

Have a blessed day!