Being Thankful

The last couple of years someone came up with the great idea on Facebook to post something you are thankful for every day during the month of November. I love the idea! I have participated in this the last 2 Novembers. This November however, as the end of November was approaching, I really began to think, "How thankful are we? Really..."

As I say that, I don't mean to take anything away from everyone posting things they are thankful for everyday. I LOVE the fact that so many do this. I love the way it makes me think everyday about things I am thankful for. But it also reminds of how many times I am thankful and yet don't acknowledge or praise God for His blessings.

There are so many things we take for granted every day. Things like water, food, shelter, clothing, even breathing. We tend to forget to thank God for these things. And I find that we sometimes sadly forget to thank God for the bigger thinks as well... when someone's surgery goes well, when that new job or promotion comes through, when a baby is born, etc. I know that we all pray and ask God for His direction, His strength, His courage, His ... fill in the blank; but when those things come to pass to do we always remember to "thank Him" for the outcome? Sometimes we get so caught up in our moment of need, that in the moment of relief or success we are so excited we forget to thank God.

So many things in our life, especially our spiritual life, have to be intentional. We live in a busy world, with lots of places to go, people to see and things to do. If we want to pray, we have to intentionally set aside time to pray. If we want to study God's word, we have to intentionally set aside time to study. And after this month of being thankful for something specific every day, I think it's time (for me at least) to start being intentional in my conversations with God to thank Him for something in my life every day. We are always thankful for the necessities... food, shelter, etc, and while those are wonderful things to be thankful for, I want to be more intentional in my thanks. I want to dig deep and find meaningful things to be thankful for. There is so much that goes on in our lives that we simply take for granted. I want to become more aware and learn to recognize those things daily so that I can be thankful to God daily instead of waiting until next November rolls around.

Even when days or times are tough, there is still so much to be thankful for. I think it's time I start acknowledging God more for those things, blessings and people that I am thankful for!

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks

in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you

in Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Blessings!

Being Thankful and Catching Up!

Wow! It seems like forever since I've checked anyone's blog. I hope to try and catch up a little bit this weekend. I love my new job, but it doesn't leave much time for checking all my favorite blogs. I am on the computer pretty much all day. So once I get home, I rarely even go near the computer. It's amazing how a job changes "everything" in your life! But it's all good! :)

I guess first for some catching up. Wedding plans are going great. Everything is booked and now we are just working out details. Ashley is doing great and having finals this week before coming home for Christmas break. This Christmas is kind of bittersweet. It will be our last Christmas together as a family of four. Next year things will change; but we love Warren to death and he is a direct answer to prayer. So all the changes will be good! It will just be different. I'm actually looking forward to planning a Christmas meal and everything that goes with Christmas for our own expanding family! :)

I don't think I ever posted about this, but Jeremy got the lead in the musical again this year. They are doing "Oklahoma!" and he got the part of Curly. It will be January 10, 11 & 12 for anyone who might be in the area. Tickets won't be on sale until probably after school starts again in January. Needless to say, that is taking up a lot of his time right now. He continues to sing on the praise team at Highland Oaks and he is also leading worship for At the Cross Church of Christ, a small church just starting out.

In our Wednesday night class the last few weeks we have been talking about "The Art of Being Thankful". About how we are supposed to be thankful in "all" circumstances. Sometimes that can be really hard to do if you are in the middle of something that is not so good. Christopher has reminded us about being thankful for everything. For example, our breath as we take it. How often do we thank God for our breaths. As Christopher puts it, "Try not breathing for a couple of minutes and you will begin to become very thankful for those breaths."

We tend not to thank God for the obvious or just everyday things. And sometimes those are some of the things we should be most thankful for. One thing I have tried to start doing is to change my prayer life. Even when things during the day have maybe not gone as I would have hoped, I am trying in my prayer life to only pray in a thankful manner. As I pray, I try to turn every situation into something I can thank God for.

I can tell you, after doing that for a few weeks, it really starts to change your perspective about a lot of things. It's harder to complain, gripe, just be in a generally bad mood, when you are being thankful! Last night, we talked about the scripture in 1 Thessalonians 5 that says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I have continued to ponder over that one verse of scripture. God's will for us is that we pray and give thanks always. But the first part of that verse says Be Joyful Always. I am finding that if you pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances, being Joyful is what you are! Not something you have to work toward.

I pray that throughout this season of Peace and Joy that everyone will be able to be more thankful and experience the true Joy of living in Jesus Christ. Blessings!