Category: Grateful

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A Good Thing

For as long as I can remember the focus of November has been thankfulness.

For the last thirty days I have made gratitude the central theme of my morning writings. I will continue to do so throughout the rest of this month. Each day seems to bring little, and some not so little, changes to our life’s plans that could cause us to grumble and complain.

So, let’s lift our sights and look for all the good things.

“It is good to praise the Lord. God Most High, it is good to praise your name. 2 It is good to sing about your love in the morning and about your faithfulness at night.” Psalm 92:1-2 ERV

It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord!

Here’s a short list of things to be thankful for, I’m sure you can think of many more.

  1. Thank the Father for his love and protection.
  2. If you have a job, be thankful.
  3. If you drive safely to work and home each day, be thankful.
  4. If your children arrive home from school each day, be thankful.
  5. If you have enough money in your purse for groceries, be thankful.
  6. If your house is warm and your clothes are adequate, be thankful!

“Tell the Lord how thankful you are, because he is kind and always merciful…5 When I was really hurting, I prayed to the Lord. He answered my prayer, and took my worries away. 6 The Lord is on my side, and I am not afraid of what others can do to me. 7 With the Lord on my side, I will defeat all of my hateful enemies. 8 It is better to trust the Lord for protection than to trust anyone else” Psalm 118:1-8 CEV

Outside of my relationship with the Lord, the best “good thing” in my life is the friendships I have been blessed with. Family and those who should be family. Relationships require work. There are challenges – opportunities to grow, times to be forgiven and times to forgive. Times of laughter and of heartache and tears. The “good thing” of relationships is the love shared.

“Try to understand other people. Forgive each other. If you have something against someone, forgive him. That is the way the Lord forgave you. 14 And to all these things, you must add love. Love holds everything and everybody together and makes all these good things perfect. 15 Let the peace of Christ have power over your hearts. You were chosen as a part of His body. Always be thankful.” Colossians 3:13-15 NLV

Yesterday brought disappointments and there will be more to come. We get to choose what we focus on. I choose the good things!

I will give thanks to the Lord for all the wonderful blessings in my life!

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Horn of Plenty

When I was little I was impressed with the pictures of a “cornucopia” . The first time I really remember hearing about them was in my second grade class as we learned about the first Thanksgiving. More fascinating than the pictures of these big baskets with fruit and vegetables spilling out of them was the word itself.

Cornucopia.

With practice I learn to say it well. It was such a grown-up sounding word. Cornucopia, the word, originated in the early 16th Century: ‘from Latin cornu copiae ‘horn of plenty’ (a mythical horn able to provide whatever is desired)’.

Early in our marriage I purchased a horn-of-plenty and each year it either sits on our table or on the breakfast bar. I filled it with small ears of Indian corn, a couple of gourds, a miniature squash and a few acorns. They spill out ever so gently.

Plenty. To provide whatever is desired…sounds just like Jesus to me.

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10 NLT

We aren’t blessed so that we can be selfish and keep all we have just for us and our little few. No. God’s blessings are meant to be shared. We are to be an example of our heavenly Father who has given us all our blessings.

If Jesus had been selfish he would have instructed the servants at the wedding to fill a couple bottles of the good wine and bring it to Him and his disciples. Forget about everyone else. If He had been selfish He would have multiplied the loaves and fishes, had a picnic with his closest followers and let everyone else fend for themselves. If He had been selfish He would have never come to earth in the first place. He would have stayed in heaven.

But…”God so loved the world He gave”.

I’m going to encourage you to do something tangible over the next few days. Give.

Give to a food bank (most grocery stores have boxes where you can donate food stuffs), give to a charity that cares for the homeless. Give to Samaritan’s Purse, you can go on-line and build a Christmas Shoe Box for a child in need. Give to the Angel Tree organization, they provide for children whose parents are incarcerated. Give to the Salvation Army. Give to your local church. Just give, no gift is ever too small.

“‘For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” Matthew 25:35-40 NLV

When we take from what we have and give to someone who has less we are acting like our Father.

I’m so thankful that others have given to us during a time of need. But I am more grateful that we are able to give.

May your horn always be filled with plenty!

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Life’s Greatest Blessings

A year ago I started keeping “My Gratitude List”. I would pen a couple of lines in my morning journal, two or three things, that I was grateful for from the day before. In December the list focused on wonderful gifts that the Lord has blessed me with – strength, health, joy, a day of baking, time spent with friends and family. After the first of the year I continued recording my gratitude and my gifts, thanking the Father each day for specific things.

As I flip back through the pages my heart is warmed by the many times that I make reference to my kids, grandkids and great grand. As a mother, I have much to be thankful for.

Some years back I wrote this on my Facebook News Feed. I believe it was one of those things you are supposed to copy and share. The words rang true then and still do today.

“I loved you the minute I knew I was pregnant. I loved you the minute you were born. Then I saw your face and fell in love some more. You were only a minute old but I knew I would die for you. To this day I still would. When I choose to have children I made a conscious decision, to allow my heart to walk around outside my body. You, my child are my heart.”

Once I begin to focus my thoughts on my kids it doesn’t take long before I am focused on my heavenly Father and His love for me. The capacity to love deeply and unconditionally as a parent comes from Him. The ability to forgive and not be bitter come from Father God. The willingness to forget the struggles and focus on the “best” all comes from the Lord.

We are His children and He has chosen to forgive, forget, encourage, correct, instruct, praise and nuture each and everyone of us. He doesn’t grow weary by our questions, He’s always there to calm our fears. Never has He abandon us or left us on our own – even when we’ve told Him we don’t need Him, that we can handle it without Him.

Our family is far from perfect. I say that tongue-in-cheek because none of us are. I was not the perfect daughter and I haven’t been the perfect mom. That’s why having a perfectly loving, heavenly Father means so much to me. He sees my failures, covers me with forgiveness and sets me on the right path.

“The Lord is kind and merciful.  He is patient and full of love. 9 He does not always criticize.
 He does not stay angry with us forever. 10 We sinned against him, but he didn’t give us the punishment we deserved. 11 His love for his followers is as high above us as heaven is above the earth. 12 And he has taken our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west.
13 The Lord is as kind to his followers as a father is to his children.” Psalm 103:8-13 ERV

How could I limit my love when He never has! Our names are written on the Father’s gratitude list.

“We pray that the Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father will comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say. God loved us and gave us through his grace a wonderful hope and comfort that has no end.” II Thessalonians 2:16-17 ERV

Counting my blessings today – my relationship with my heavenly Father is the first thing on my heart followed by my family.

I am grateful for the full and rich life I have!

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Look For Things to Appreciate

An attitude of gratitude is often like sending a child on a treasure hunt. Some years back while living in Montana we took our oldest grandchildren to an old gold mining town called Bannock. This town was the first territorial capitol of Montana and had a gold strike that rivaled the one in California.

Today this historic “ghost town” welcomes visitors to tour its old buildings. In the summer dirt is brought from the local creek for young and old to try their hand at panning for gold. No panner ever walks away empty handed although very few ever find a nugget of any substance. The earth is rich with garnets and little flakes of gold dust are not uncommon. I remember how excited our grandson was when he found those little flakes but he was equally as excited to find a pan laden with dark red garnets.

The excitement was in the search and the anticipation of what might be found!

I see each day as a treasure hunt. I know God has promised to fill it with His blessings. I just have to keep my heart open to what is before me. This morning I have already found one of today’s treasures – our 5th wheel trailer.

As I’m writing this I can smell the four-legged visitors who are patrolling the campground in search of unsecured food. We were told about the skunks when we checked in and yesterday morning on our walk we were certainly aware that they had been in the area the night before and now I sense (smell) their presence again.

Last summer we had an experience with two skunks who came into our camp looking for food and they found it. I didn’t realize that I had left the dog food container on the table. The skunks pushed it off and the container spilled open. We were sleeping in a tent and I felt somewhat vulnerable when I heard the ruckus only a couple yards away.

The last couple of nights I haven’t given those critters a second thought as I climbed into bed. The door was shut behind me and they were no threat. You see, I found a treasure in the warmth and security of my surroundings. Thank you Lord.

“Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders work for nothing. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the men who watch over it stay awake for nothing. 2 You rise up early, and go to bed late, and work hard for your food, all for nothing. For the Lord gives to His loved ones even while they sleep.” Psalm 127:1-2 NLV

For me the treasure of peaceful sleep is invaluable!

There you have it – I have given you two treasures I have found this morning and I’ve only been up a little over an hour. Two treasures that have already filled my heart with joy – a secure dwelling and peaceful sleep!

I wonder what other treasures I will find as I go about my day? Look for God’s blessings and you’ll find them. Be grateful for small blessings.

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All The Time

Thanksgiving – Joy – Praise – Gratitude!

I know you won’t be surprised by the theme of this morning’s blog. As I said a couple days ago I will be bringing you thoughts on being thankful each day for the next several weeks.

It should be a way of life to those of us who trust the Lord and follow Christ. Does that mean that we never face obstacles, challenges, tought times or persecution? No! Most emphatically not. However, when we are thankful and take time to praise the Lord the struggles we are facing take a backseat to God’s greatness.

“I will always praise the Lord. 2 With all my heart,  I will praise the Lord. Let all who are helpless, listen and be glad. 3 Honor the Lord with me! Celebrate his great name.” Psalm 34:1-3 CEV

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time you know that I am greatly encouraged each morning as the birds start their morning chorus. Their songs are a constant reminder of the faithfulness of the Lord. The doves coo, the meadowlarks warble, the wrens chirp, the finches tweet and even the crows caw their welcome to the dawning of a new day.

Not once have I heard them complain that there aren’t enough bugs to eat or seeds to feast on. Yes, there is an occasional squawk or clicking when they feel threatened but they go right back to singing their sweet songs of thanksgiving.

“I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t you worth more than birds?” Matthew 6:25-26 CEV

I have learned a lesson from the winged creatures around my home. When I hear them sing, I take a moment to say “thank you Lord for caring for me like You care for them”. Whether they are welcoming the sunrise or calling their young to nest at night it reminds me that the Lord is always there caring for me.

I will bless the Lord at all times!

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Always in Season

What season is it at your place?

I see friends are starting to post pictures of their fall decor. I love the cornstalks, changing leaves, pumpkins and the mums but here in Arizona fall weather hasn’t quite come. Even in our more moderate climate, we are still have ninety degree days but our mornings are cooling off so I know fall is coming.

But there are other seasons to acknowledge. The summer garden is ready for harvest; fruit trees are producing and need to be picked. Apples, peaches, pears are all waiting to be turned into pies, jams and placed in canning jars.

For the outdoorsman dove season is open and turkey season is following right behind. Hunting camps are being set up and the thought of morning coffee over a campfire is alluring.

For some, this a season of transition and change. Our grandson had his first day of in-class kindergarten yesterday. New jobs, new schools, new marriages, new adjustments. Several of our friends lost their loved ones to illness last year and so this is a time of monumental change for them.

But there is something that is always in season – gratitude!

“Thank the Lord for his faithful love and for the amazing things he does for people.” Psalm 107:31 ERV

Gratitude never goes out of season; it’s never out of style.

“I will give You thanks with all my heart. I will sing praises to You in front of the gods. 2 I will bow down toward Your holy house. And I will give thanks to Your name for Your loving-kindness and Your truth. For You have honored Your Word because of what Your name is. 3 You answered me on the day I called. You gave me strength in my soul.

4 O Lord, all the kings of the earth will give thanks to You when they have heard the words of Your mouth. 5 And they will sing of the ways of the Lord. For the shining beauty of the Lord is great. 6 For even if the Lord is honored, He thinks about those who have no pride. But He knows the proud from far away. 7 Even if I walk into trouble, You will keep my life safe. You will put out Your hand against the anger of those who hate me. And Your right hand will save me. 8 The Lord will finish the work He started for me. O Lord, Your loving-kindness lasts forever. Do not turn away from the works of Your hands.” Psalm 138 NLV

I hope you enter this day seeing it as a new season, a time to plant gratitude and harvest joy!

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

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Tempted to Complain?

I have to admit that there are times when I am tempted to complain but that hasn’t been the case for quite a while now. My life isn’t perfect; it has it’s up’s and down’s however, my God is perfect!

And He loves me!

As I was making the morning coffee my head filled with song by singer/songwriter Dottie Rambo:

He left the Splendor of Heaven
Knowing His destiny
Was the lonely hill of Golgotha
there to lay down His life for me.

if that isn’t love
the ocean is dry
there’s no stars in the sky
and the sparrow can’t fly
if that isn’t love
then Heavens a myth
there’s no feeling like this
if that isn’t love

Gratitude spills over into everything we do when we focus on the truth of God’s love. There is one reason and one reason only that Jesus left heaven and came to earth. That reason is His love for us!

Complaining causes us to lose focus of what is good. It can be a downward spiral. How many of you have heard these words?

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” I Corinthians 10:13 NLT

Paul was giving instruction to Christians about the example they had received from their fore fathers who had murmured and complained in the wilderness. They had seen all of God’s power when He delivered them from Egypt; crossing the Red Sea; living under the pillar of cloud by day; eating manna from heaven; drinking water from a rock and still they complained and rebelled.

So, now Paul is giving strong admonition to the Christians in Corinth. Don’t let the temptation to complain and murmur about your circumstances cause you to stray from the Lord. God is faithful and He will provide a way of escape. Don’t be confident in your own abilities because when you do, you will fall but be confident in Christ and what He has done for you.

This is a good word for today. How many times a day do we find ourselves complaining about something? How many times are we trusting in our own strength and not His?

We should remind ourselves of how the Lord has been faithful in the past. Remind ourselves that we are the reason He left heaven. This should keep us from complaining about the present or worrying over the future!

We have His promise that He will never leave us or abandon us. Now that’s love!

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Stay Focused

I remember those mornings when we lived in Idaho and Montana that I would sit quietly with my hot coffee and watch the icicles melting on the eaves. Each droplet that awakened from frozen slumber to fluid movement meant the earth would soon be showing new signs of growth.

The warmth of the sun reminded us all that the long winter days were over and spring would begin to blossom very soon.

Yesterday we learned from our governor that the “long winter” of the stay-at-home order would be over and life, once again, would begin to bloom. However, before everyone begins to rush out and reclaim previous activity I would like to remind us all to stay focused.

Much the same as I focused on that melting icicle that would send its moisture into the earth to awaken the seeds that had been dormant through the cold months of winter I would like us to focus on the kindness and sharing that we experienced during the last few months.

Time with family took on richer meaning. Sharing a moment of laughter with a friend was a cherished gem. And our quiet prayers for safety and protection brought a richness and strength to each day.

Let’s not lose sight of what we learned and experienced during this time.

“I want you to realize that I continue to work as hard as I know how for you, and also for the Christians over at Laodicea. Not many of you have met me face-to-face, but that doesn’t make any difference. Know that I’m on your side, right alongside you. You’re not in this alone.

2-4 I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s great mystery. All the richest treasures of wisdom and knowledge are embedded in that mystery and nowhere else. And we’ve been shown the mystery! I’m telling you this because I don’t want anyone leading you off on some wild-goose chase, after other so-called mysteries, or “the Secret.” Colossians 2:1-4 MSG

Let’s stay focused on Christ and our relationship of reliance on Him and His strength. There will be challenges ahead, many of them, and so, we must remember where our strength and peace come from.

I don’t know how things are where you live. Maybe you’re still being asked to stay at home or perhaps your state has already opened. But it’s not the condition of the state that makes the difference in our lives, it’s the condition of the heart.

Just like the relationship between the sun and the icicle our hearts are warmed by the Son, softened to make way for new growth and a greater capacity to love.

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Living In A Palace

Every so often I find myself looking around at our home and I am overwhelmed by the Lord’s blessing. We were able to purchase it five and a half years ago without a mortgage. It was the answer to a prayer from many years before.

Yesterday Dave told me he had found a critter in our bathroom. Since we live in southern Arizona it could have been any one of a number of things. It was a lizard. I chuckled to myself and thought “I live in a palace” and I have Scripture to prove it.

“Lizards—they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings’ palaces.” Proverbs 30:28 NLT

According to most of the world’s standards my home is a palace. There are so many living in horrible conditions. The walls of their homes lean and collapse in the wind. Floors are dirt and roofs leak. There is no electricity or modern plumbing. We have much to be thankful for.

Someone will always live in a better neighborhood and have a larger home with nicer furniture. We have to avoid the temptation to compare and covet. Those two attributes breed discontentment and when discontentment is left unchecked it can be very destructive. We need to be grateful for the blessings we have.

“A wise woman makes her home what it should be, but the home of a foolish woman is destroyed by her own actions.” Proverbs 14:1 ERV

A house, an apartment or mobile home is only a structure – brick, metal, wood or stucco; it is the love of the family within that makes it a home.

Yes, my home is a palace, lizard and all.

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Grateful for Good News

I have a few tabs on my desktop that I leave open because I visit the sites frequently and see no need to close them but when I do open a new tab my screen defaults to a news page and I am faced with the latest headlines of the day. Very rarely does that page bring me good news.

That is a stark contrast to the headlines I find each day when I open my Bible! I am grateful for good news, the good news of the gospel.

“Good news from a faraway place is like a cool drink of water when you are hot and thirsty.” Proverbs 25:25 ERV

Since all Scripture is inspired by God and since His throne is in the heavens I figure that constitutes a faraway place. His word, my good news, is refreshing to my soul. Each morning we are able to choose the path our day will take; we can choose life and joy or frustration and stress. All of us face difficult and trying times but we don’t have to let them control us.

“When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” 20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. 21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” 22 Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” Luke 4:16-22 NLT

Jesus is our good news! When he came, he came with purpose – He came to bring deliverance, sight, freedom and favor with the Father. He spent His entire life of ministry bringing good news to all He met.

The angels announced it on the night of His birth.

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” Luke 2:8-11 NLT

Good News!

And I am very grateful that I get to share the good news with you.

“Yes, the Scriptures say, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.” 12 It says this because there is no difference between those who are Jews and those who are not. The same Lord is the Lord of all people. And he richly blesses everyone who looks to him for help. 13 Yes, “everyone who trusts in the Lord will be saved.” 14 But before people can pray to the Lord for help, they must believe in him. And before they can believe in the Lord, they must hear about him. And for anyone to hear about the Lord, someone must tell them. 15 And before anyone can go and tell them, they must be sent. As the Scriptures say, “How wonderful it is to see someone coming to tell good news!” Romans 10:11-15 NLT

I hope you welcome this blog each morning as your good news. Extra – Extra. Today is a day of Good News – Jesus, our Savior, is here to save, protect, provide and deliver!

Read all about it!

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