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Giving Thanks is More than a Tradition

When the kids were younger and going in every direction – work, sports, activities of all kinds we grabbed dinner on the go. I remember thinking that I should just pray over the groceries when I carried them in the house. That way I would have said the blessing, given thanks or said grace before it was all eaten. I know that’s silly but giving thanks at meal time wasn’t a traditional thing to do for me it was (and still is) a heartfelt expression of appreciation.

You see I remember the days when there wasn’t enough to eat, I remember taking my little calculator to the store to add up the groceries as I put them in my cart so that I wouldn’t get to the register and have to put things back. I remember the times when the refrigerator was empty except for the condiments in the door and I was faced with what to do for dinner, only to have friends who “just happened to be dropping by” come in with a trunk full of groceries. Yes, giving thanks isn’t a tradition but a sincere voicing of my thankfulness for the Lord’s blessings in our lives.

Look at a time when Jesus gave thanks. Let me set the scene – 5000 men, not to mention their wives and children, are on a hillside listening to Jesus teach. All Jesus has for food is 5 barley loaves and 2 small fishes, a lunch meant to meet the needs of a boy. His disciples are concerned that Jesus preaching is going overtime and the people are getting hungry. They tell Him he needs to wrap it up and dismiss the crowd so they can get to town for dinner before the restaurants close.

But Jesus asks the disciples a question instead – “Jesus looked up and saw a crowd of people coming toward him. He said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough bread for all these people to eat?” 6 He asked Philip this question to test him. Jesus already knew what he planned to do.

7 Philip answered, “We would all have to work a month to buy enough bread for each person here to have only a little piece!” John 6:5-7 ERV

Then Peter spoke up and said we have a boy here who brought some fish and bread but that’s all we have!

Now mind you, these are the same guys who were with Jesus at the wedding when they ran out of wine and they saw Jesus turn barrels of water into wine, really good wine. They had forgotten that and were focused on the situation at hand. Too many people, not enough food! What to do?

“And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” John 6:10-12

So you have Jesus giving thanks. He is giving thanks for what he knows God is about to do. He is giving thanks for God’s word being true. He is giving thanks for God being faithful and revealing his love to the disciples and this group.

Jesus had been teaching them about prayer, teaching them… to ask and it shall be given unto to you; take no thought for what you will get or drink or what you will put on because you’re heavenly Father knows that you have need of these things; whatsoever things you desire when you pray believe you receive them and you shall have them. This is God’s word and it is true so – GIVE THANKS! Jesus gave thanks before the miracle occurred and not after He saw it – He had faith in what God was going to do.

What is your “feeding the 5000” moment? Are you begging God and telling Him how bad things are or a you giving thanks in advance for what you know He has promised to do.

Today is a good day to give thanks!

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Follow His Lead

Sitting here this morning while it’s still dark out and feeling the cool of the fall air, down to 55 this morning, enjoying the warmth of a good cup of coffee and seeking the Father for the day’s direction, I am very thankful. Thankful that my Father is still in control; He hasn’t fallen off His throne and His omniscience is superior to the knowledge of the world’s wisest men. His omnipresence penetrates to the farthest reaches of the universe. Yet, in all He has before Him this day I can hear Him speaking to me through His words – the words Jesus spoke about the Father.

“My Father has given me everything, and he is the only one who knows the Son. The only one who truly knows the Father is the Son. But the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so that they can know him too.
28 If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. 29 Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest.” Matthew 11:27-29 CEV

Jesus has taken the time to tell us about the Father and not only that, Jesus made a way for us to be adopted by the Father so that we can call Him “Abba Father” (Papa or Daddy) and we can experience firsthand His love and compassion.

I don’t have to have all the answers and I don’t have to learn by “hard knocks”. I can trust the Father and learn from Him.

“With all your heart you must trust the LORD and not your own judgment. 6 Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.” Proverbs 3:5-6 CEV

So enjoy your day and let the Father lead you and there you will find rest!

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Life Lessons from a Cleaning Bucket

Do you enjoy cleaning?

Strange question but I do. Always have. When I was a kid I would like to see my room cleaned – bed made, clothes hung up and things in place. (Now I did have the one junk drawer but we won’t talk about that.) Then once I was married and had a home of my own I never really minded all that comes with cleaning – mopping, dusting, vacuuming, laundry, windows, bath rooms. I like it all but mostly I like the end result. I even clean the baseboards, dust the ceiling fans and pictures a couple times a year. I know, I know.

There’s a house that sits kitty corner from ours and it is used as a vacation rental. About a year and a half ago I was asked if I wanted to clean it occasionally. Of course, I like to clean. But for the last year I have been cleaning it twice a month and to be honest it is getting a bit old. I’m not getting as much pleasure out of it as I did when I started.

In fact, I told my friend, Pam, a couple weeks ago that I didn’t think I would do it anymore after the first of the year. But…yesterday!!! Yes, yesterday I had an epiphany. Truly, now don’t laugh. I had started to clean, it was so quiet and then I realized I should try to see if I could get Pandora on my phone. See, you thought I got some great revelation from God, didn’t you?

Sure enough. I downloaded the app and voila – music! I was thrilled. For over a year I had been cleaning in silence. Normally I like the quiet but not when I’m cleaning. Crank up the tunes! I have a station I like to listen too, Guy Penrod music, and it’s upbeat, happy, Gospel music. There I was just cleaning away with a big smile on my face and a song on my lips.

Then a song came on that I have sung for years – means the world to me but when I related it to my cleaning it took the meaning deeper. This song was published in 1910 by Julia Johnson, Grace Greater than Our Sin.

“Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

Refrain:
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!

God’s grace is the cleaning agent that cleanses my life from the effects of sin! WOW!! Just like I was removing the dust and dirt, cleaning the floors and washing the mirrors, God’s grace sweeps through my life bringing a pardon for the wrong that deserves a sentence of death and cleansing me from the guilt!

Walking out the front door yesterday, looking back as I always do, making sure everything was done and in place, I had a new joy and a thankful heart because God’s grace has cleansed my life and made it new.

“We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in that way. 17 Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. 18 God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.” II Corinthians 5:16-18 CEV

I’m thankful that I’ve been cleansed!

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“The Present”

Are you thinking about “today”?

Living in the present can be a real struggle; the past is always calling us back – back to better times or trying to hold us in bondage to our failures. And then there’s the future and its promises and hopes but it too is filled with what if’s. What if I get a better job, what if we get a bigger house, what if the kids go to this college, what if, what if, what if…

Living in the present. I know you’ve heard it said before but it bears repeating. The”present” is a gift from God so we need to unwrap it and cherish it.

“My friends, watch out! Don’t let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. 13 You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called “today.” If you don’t, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn. 14 We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let’s hold tightly to our faith until the end. 15 The Scriptures say,

“If you hear his voice today, don’t be stubborn like those who rebelled.” Hebrews 3:12-15 CEV

We have so many opportunities in Today. We can help those around us; we can give a smile, a kind word, a hug, a prayer. If we are caught up in the past or in looking too far down the road we will miss the same things that are waiting for us today. Jesus promises to never leave us. Since He’s with us today, it’s going to be a great day.

“Jesus Christ never changes! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:7 CEV

Enjoy today – God’s grace and strength are yours!!

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Thankful for Shepherds

I don’t know how many cowboy movies I have viewed in my lifetime but there have been many, some of them I have watched over and over. And in nearly every one, if they refer to a Bible verse they generally use Psalm 23, the Lord is my Shepherd. Time and again the Scripture refers to the Lord as our Shepherd. Jesus even gave example that he was the good shepherd who gives his life for his sheep.

This morning’s verse on giving thanks refers to that relationship as well.

“Then we, your people, will always thank you.
We are like sheep with you as our shepherd,
and all generations will hear us praise you..” Psalm 79:13 CEV

A good shepherd provides food, rest, protection. He is constantly with his sheep and protects them from intruders and cares for them if they do get hurt. Our shepherd does the same – His death provides for our salvation or as one Bible translation calls it – soundness.

Those of you reading this that have a horse background know better than others what it means to be sound. That’s what Jesus has done for us – He has made us sound, whole, strong.

So do what this verse says – show your praise to all generations. Talk of the Lord’s goodness to those of your own generation and to those older and younger. Our younger generations need to know the reality of God’s goodness.

Sing it loud and long today. Let the children know the goodness of the Shepherd.

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Three Little Words

As many of you know, we just had our 2 year old grandson stay with us last week. Just the three of us. It was great! We had so much fun just enjoying life with him. He’s talking quite well but there were a few things that we couldn’t understand. However, that didn’t stop us in our adventures.

Periodically, throughout the day, Dave or I would pick Sam up and give him hugs, kisses and tickle time, better known as “baby getter” time. He would love and squeal and we would always say I love you, Sam and then put him down and off he’d go.

He has learned to say I love you and when we asked, “can you tell Pappy I love you” or “can you tell Besta I love you”, he would and it would make us smile. But more than that were the times when we would tell him I love you and without coaxing he would say I love you. Melted our hearts right down into our socks!

And I can specifically remember a special time when I heard each of our children say “Mamma, I love you”.

Oh, they’ve said many, many times but I remember particularly endearing times as if they happened just yesterday and it makes me smile and brings a tear to my eyes. It still brings me to tears my eyes when they call just to say they love me because I miss them when I don’t get to see them that often.

You know, I’m sure God feels the same. He misses us when we’re not there to talk with Him – His love for us is so great!

“The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3 KJV

It is God’s love, that everlasting love, that draws us to Him. People weren’t drawn to Jesus because He was tyrannical or dictatorial. It was His love – it was the compassion He showed to people in everyday ways. It was His expressions of kindness and giving that made people want to be around Him. He was acting like his Father.

The Apostle John wrote that because God loved the world He sent His Son so that anyone who believed on Him wouldn’t perish but receive life eternal. The Father loved us and gave and Jesus loved us and died.

“God our Father loves us. He is kind and has given us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope. We pray that our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father 17 will encourage you and help you always to do and say the right thing.” II Thessalonians 2:16-17 CEV

I know God still remembers the first time I told Him “I love you” and since His memory is so much greater than mine, He remembers every time after too. I also know that if my heart swells with emotion when I hear my kids say I love you, His heart response is greater than mine.

Be thankful today for His love. Take time to tell Him today how much you love Him. It’ll make His day.

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Thankful for Invitations

Not long ago we returned from a vacation to Texas. Dave and I went last year and made plans to return again this year. We had been invited by my brother and his wife to come for a visit. So we loaded up the truck and headed to Texas.

We made a few stops along the way but our main objective was to get to their home. Several times before our trip my brother and I would talk and he would ask me what we wanted to do while we were there. My answer was the same – we just want to spend time with you and Monte. It was so enjoyable to sit on their patio and talk. We didn’t need anything any more special than that.

Spending time with people you love! What could be better?

As people we really have nothing more valuable to give than our time. It’s the only commodity we possess that we can’t gain more of. When we invite folks to our home we are honored that they give us their time. It’s a true sign of love! And when we are invited to spend time with our family and friends, we recognize it to be the same.

So, do you think the Lord is any less honored when we spend time with Him? He asks us to come – come for a visit. He has a universe to run but when we come He drops everything to spend time with us.

“If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. 29 Take the yoke[ I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. 30 This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 CEV

The Lord issues the invitation freely and He isn’t going to withdraw it because of other commitments or obligations.

“Everything and everyone that the Father has given me will come to me, and I won’t turn any of them away.

38 I didn’t come from heaven to do what I want! I came to do what the Father wants me to do. He sent me, 39 and he wants to make certain that none of the ones he has given me will be lost.” John 6:37-39 CEV

The invitation isn’t for a select few but the invitation from the Lord is for everyone – everyone!

“All you people who are thirsty, come! Here is water for you to drink.
Don’t worry if you have no money. Come, eat and drink until you are full!
You don’t need money. The milk and wine are free.
2 Why waste your money on something that is not real food? Why should you work for something that does not really satisfy you? Listen closely to me and you will eat what is good.
You will enjoy the food that satisfies your soul.
3 Listen closely to what I say. Listen to me so that you will live. I will make an agreement with you that will last forever. It will be an agreement you can trust, like the one I made with David—
a promise to love him and be loyal to him forever.” Isaiah 55:1-3 ERV

The invitation the Lord sends out to us is for everyone and it’s a promise that His love will last forever! Here the Lord is saying, Come to Me, return to Me and I will forgive all. My ways are differ than your ways. I don’t hold grudges. My love is unconditional. My word has power; it is precise. It is like a seed planted My word brings forth fruit.

Yes, I’m truly grateful for heaven sent invitations!

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Grateful for Grace

Heard an old Ray Stevens song on the radio, God’s Gonna Git Ya for That.

Lots of folks have the impression that God is waiting in heaven to throw down thunder bolts when we screw up – so glad that’s not true or we’d all be toast!

Jesus own words say it best “For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” Luke 9:56

So much of religion has preached a message of judgment and condemnation. But true relationship with the Lord focused on His unconditional love and goodness. God sent us His most precious gift, His Son. The reason Jesus came was so to keep us from death and judgment, not give us over to condemnation.

“If you belong to Christ Jesus, you won’t be punished. 2 The Holy Spirit will give you life that comes from Christ Jesus and will set you free from sin and death. 3 The Law of Moses cannot do this, because our selfish desires make the Law weak. But God set you free when he sent his own Son to be like us sinners and to be a sacrifice for our sin. God used Christ’s body to condemn sin.” Romans 8:1-3 CEV

Justice requires that a price be paid for our sin but GRACE paid the price for us.

“I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. 9 You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about. 10 God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10 ERV

Imagine for a moment that God’s love is a two-sided coin. On one side is mercy; mercy is not getting the punishment we deserve. Like a man who throws himself on the mercy of the court – begging the judge for a lighter sentence. Now on the other side of the coin is grace; grace is receiving something wonderful that we don’t deserve. Go back to our man begging for mercy, if he received a full pardon because someone else paid his penalty that would be grace.

That’s exactly what Jesus did for us. Yes, Grace – Amazing Grace!

So now it’s time to express our thankfulness for the grace that God has given us in Jesus.

These are Jesus words: “A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came to give life—life that is full and good.” John 10:10 ERV

Thank God for His grace and mercy. Take time to thank Him for the good in your life today and for His protection from the evil one!

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Grateful for Age

This week I have had the opportunity to be with one of the youngest members of our family, Sam, and the oldest, my mother. What a joy to spend time with them both. Sam was depend upon us for most everything he needed; meals, help getting dressed, supervising his activities, bath time, bed time – you get the picture.

Mom, too, is at a point in her life where she is more dependent. She doesn’t drive anymore and she walks slower and needs help getting around but her mind is still sharp and her memories bring her great joy.

I had fun telling Sam stories about Jesus, singing little choruses and praying with him. Praying for him to grow into a man that loves the Lord, honors his parents and impacts his world. And then I also had the opportunity to listen as Mom told me of her love for the Lord, her prayers for her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her desire is to live her days as an example of God’s love and goodness. She said she can’t be burdened down with worry but instead has to trust the Lord to reach her family with His love so that each one is with her one day in heaven.

Both the youngest and the oldest have a quiet trust in the Lord, for that I am truly grateful!

“Praise him, young men and women, old people and children.
13 Praise the Lord’s name! Honor his name forever!
His name is greater than any other.
He is more glorious than heaven and earth.” Psalm 148:12-13 ERV

All through the Bible we find the older teaching the younger. There is a constant instruction to remind the younger ones of the milestones in life. Moses taught the people that they should be talking of the things of the Lord when they came in and when they went out; when they got up in the morning and when they went to bed at night.

“Always remember these commands that I give you today. 7 Be sure to teach them to your children. Talk about these commands when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road. Talk about them when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them on your hands and wear them on your foreheads to help you remember my teachings.” Deuteronomy 6:6-9 ERV

I’m thankful that my parents and grandparents taught me to love the Lord and I’m grateful for the opportunity and the responsibility to teach my children and grandchildren of God’s goodness!

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Attitude of Gratitude

About 5 years ago I focused on giving thanks for the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. It’s very important that we have a right heart in the things we do each day. So for the next 6 to 7 weeks I will be centering in on our ability to give thanks.

I encourage you to start now. Make a list of people and opportunities you are thankful for. Not just a mental list but a down-on-paper list! Then stop by the store and pick up a box of thank you notes and send them off to those names you have on your list. Tell them how they have affected your life and how grateful you are for them.

Yes, you might do this from time to time on FB, through a text or email but it will mean a whole lot more when they realize you took the time to get the card, write the note and put it in the mail. Time = love!

It might be old fashioned but gratitude never goes out of style.

We can never be too thankful. A lot of folks these days have forgotten how to say “thank you” or to properly appreciate the things that are done for them.

We tend to take so many things for granted or worse yet feel that “well I deserve it”. Nothing could be farther from the truth – if we all got what we deserved we would go straight to hell – do not pass go, do not collect $200. We might be better than someone else but when compared to God’s standard we have all failed and are deserving of death but He gives us grace freely.

So today take on an attitude of gratitude and look for a way to tell someone thank you – maybe it’s your kids just because they hold your heart, or your husband, thank him for going to work everyday and then coming home, or your wife – have you thanked her for all the things she does each day that no one seems to notice(but have the smelling salts ready, she may faint).

I use a phrase constantly in expressing gratitude and the thing is, I really mean it. I will say, “Thank you, I really appreciate that” and sometimes I hear, “sure you do” but you know I do! I want people to know they are truly appreciated.

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. ”
1 Thessalonians 5:18

You don’t have to be thankful “for” everything but “in” everything. Thanksgiving is the will of God for our lives!

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