Staying Grateful

Last month most Americans celebrated Thanksgiving. Hopefully in addition to the turkey and pumpkin pie, that celebration included some expressions of gratitude to God for the many ways He has blessed us. It’s easy to give thanks once a year, when that special day comes around. But what about every day? Especially every day during this hectic and busy season of Christmas? Do you make time to be grateful, or is thankfulness being crowded out by shopping, baking, decorating and entertaining?

A Christian friend recently sent me this prayer request:

“At this time of year, many of us find ourselves engaged in The Christmas Rush.  There are days when being grateful is lost.  I read an article recently that describes the healing we experience when we focus on gratitude rather than frustrations.  This is Advent, the time when we anticipate the coming of the greatest blessing of all—the birth of our Savior.  Let us pray we will keep this in mind and share the story of this most precious gift freely.”

Thanksgiving Day may be over, but the need to give thanks continues. Take some time every day to be grateful. Make a list of your blessings. Say a prayer of thanks. Write thank you notes to people you appreciate. Reflect on the true, permanent gift of Christmas (our salvation) and find a way to pass it on. It will be time well spent.

For more posts about gratitude see:

Practicing Gratitude

Teaching Thanksgiving

Let Thanksgiving Lead to Action

I Commend Joy

I’m now up to chapter 8 in my prayerful reading of Ecclesiastes.  Although we tend to think of this book as nothing but doom and gloom, here the author says:

“And I commend joy, for man has no good thing under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful,  for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.”  Ecclesiastes 8:15

In other words, be attentive; God is blessing us every day through His gracious provision.  We should take the time to notice and be grateful.  When we do, our thankfulness will result in joy and lighten our burdens.

This goes along with one of the books I’ve been reading recently.  See:

He goes on to say that man cannot understand the ways of God and shouldn’t wrack his brain trying.  No matter how wise we become, God remains a mystery.  We cannot understand His long term plan.  At the beginning of chapter 9 we read:

“But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God.”  Ecclesiastes 9:1

God is at work. You’re in His hands.  You can trust Him.  SURRENDER.  Give thanks for everyday blessings. I commend joy.

For more on the book of Ecclesiastes see:

A Time to Die

A Time for Everything

Hoping for Something New?

 

Some Quotes on Giving Thanks

It seems appropriate this month, the month in which Thanksgiving falls, to include some quotes on giving thanks.  So here goes:

“If our hearts were tuned to praise, we should see causes unnumbered, which we had never seen before, for thanking God.  Thanksgiving is spoken of as a ‘sacrifice well pleasing unto God.’  It is a far higher offering than prayer.  When we pray, we ask for things which we want;  or we tell our sorrows.  We pray, in order to bring down blessings upon ourselves;  we praise, because our hearts overflow with love to God, and we must speak it out to Him.  It flows our of pure love, and them the love goes back to our hearts, and warms the anew, and revives and quickens them.”

Priscilla Maurice

 

“Learn the lesson of thanksgiving.  It is due to God, it is due to ourselves.  Thanksgiving for the past makes us trustful in the present, and hopeful for the future.  What He has done is a pledge of what He will do.”

A. C. A. Hall

 

Learning to Give Thanks

Tomorrow is the first day of Fall.  The weather’s getting cooler, and it makes me realize that Thanksgiving will be here before we know it.  Why not start giving thanks early?  Why not give thanks daily?   I try to list my blessings of the day right before I fall asleep.  If you haven’t made this a habit, here’s a way to get started, according to Christian author Priscilla Maurice:

“Begin with thanking Him for some little thing, and then go on, day be day, adding to your subjects of praise;  thus you will find their numbers grow wonderfully;  and in the same proportion, will your subjects of murmuring and complaining diminish, until you see in everything some cause for thanksgiving. If you cannot begin with something positive, begin with something negative.  If your whole lot seems only filled with causes for discontent, at any rate there is some trial which has not been appointed you;  and you may thank God for its being withheld from you.  It is certain that the more you try to praise, the more you will see how your path and your lying down are beset with mercies, and that the God of love is ever watching to do you good.”

For more on giving thanks, see these posts:

Are You Giving Thanks for the Right Things?

Giving Thanks for God’s Mercy

Martin Luther on Thanksgiving

 

Thankful Saints

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thess. 5:18

We’ve adopted a new routine in our adult Sunday School class.  Each week before we begin the lesson, we try to answer this question:  Where have you seen God at work this week?  Most of the time, we see God at work in the good things that happen to us — someone recovers from illness;  we enjoy a beautiful day;  a friend encourages us;  and so on.   Today I’m reminding myself that God is at work in our difficulties also.

Our lesson last week was the story of Joseph.  Things just seemed to get worse and worse for him.  He’s sold into slavery, accused of rape, cast into prison.  It would be easy to feel that God had forgotten him.  Yet this was far from the truth!  God was at work.  He had a plan to bring good out of all the bad.  We all know that in the end, Joseph is becomes a respected advisor to the Pharoah, and is able to save his family and others from famine because of his God-given ability to interpret dreams.

The verse above tells us that, as saints,  we should give thanks in all circumstances.  God has a plan, and He’s working things out in ways that will ultimately benefit us and others.  We just have to trust Him.  I admit this is hard for me.  I’m sure it’s hard for you as well.  Keep this verse in your heart today as you give thanks.  Thank God for the good things, and also for the bad things He will use to bless you and others in His good time.

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. Romans 8:28

Have a blessed Thanksgiving.  God loves you and so do I!

 

Blogging is a Blessing

“I long to see you, that I might impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you–that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith,  both yours and mine.”  Romans 1:11-12

As I thought about this month’s theme, it occurred to me that the Lutheran Ladies blog has been quite a blessing in my life.  Each of us has God-given talents and spiritual gifts, and when we use them in a way that pleases Him, we feel His pleasure.  I never sit down to write a post with the feeling that it is a chore, or a burden.  I’m so thankful that God has given me an occupation in retirement that I enjoy, and that feels useful.

Writing for the blog has made me think deeply about each monthly theme, reading, studying and praying about it.  Often it helps me examine my own conscience and discover areas of my life that need improvement or attention.  It’s also interesting to hear how others think about these things, both authors and readers.  Certainly the blog has deepened my faith and understanding of God and His will for me.

Through our blogging together, I’ve developed closer relationships with the other Lutheran Ladies.  Although I knew them all before, and go to church with some of them( and went to church with others), in blogging we have shared both dreams and failures.  We’ve worked together to produce something none of us could have accomplished alone.  It has been my joy and my privilege to see each of them grow in their faith journey.

I hope and believe that this blog has been an encouragement to others, as this was our original vision.   The books we read, the quotes we love, the movies that inspire us, the songs that uplift us, the thoughts God places in our minds, and the emotions of our hearts, are all offered up to strengthen others.  As we open our lives to our readers, we are in turn blessed by the comments and kind words we receive back.  As Paul says in the quote above from Romans, we have been “mutually encouraged”.

So to all our authors and readers, today I am saying “Thank You!”  You have blessed my life in an amazing way.

Problem or Blessing?

As I’ve been thinking about blessings this month, I’ve started to realize that feeling blessed has a lot to do with our perspective.  In other words, how do we think about things?  I’ve also learned a new phrase recently, “first world problem.”  Here’s the definition:  a minor frustration or irritation experienced by privileged people in rich countries.  Friends, think about it, most of our problems, all those things we get angry and worried about are really exactly this.  To much of the world, we’re whining about things that are pretty inconsequential.  Wouldn’t it be better when encountered with a “first world problem” to remind ourselves how really blessed we are?

Here are a few problems I encountered this week while on vacation visiting my daughter in South Carolina:

We arrived at our condo to find that due to a leak upstairs, our washer and dryer were not working!  I had to go to my daughter’s home about 20 minutes away to wash my clothes! (First world problem — how blessed am I to own a vacation home and an automatic washer and dryer in the first place!  How blessed am I to have plenty of clothing for goodness sake!  How blessed am I to have children who will help me out!)

We decided to meet our daughter for lunch at a favorite restaurant only to find out that it had closed!  What a disappointment!  We love their crab soup!  (First world problem– all we had to do was select another restaurant, there are many choices.  Aren’t we blessed to have a choice of foods and be able to afford to eat out at all?)

Here’s a good one:  our apartment in South Carolina does not have Wi-Fi.  We’re so used to this convenience, it’s annoying to be unable to look something up on google or check my email instantly (or write a blog post as soon as inspiration strikes).  Instead we had to make a trip to the library to use the computer. (First world problem!  Aren’t we incredibly blessed to have a library where we can not only use our computer — which we are blessed to own– but borrow books and movies at no cost.)

Well, you get the idea.  I don’t have to worry about having food for my next meal, shelter from the weather, or transportation.  I have resources to share.  I’m not alone in the world, I have family and friends around me.  Most of all, I have the church and the gospel. God has provided me with all that I need and more.  From now on, when I’m tempted to complain about one of those “first world problems” I’m going to count my blessings instead.  What about you?

 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life” (Matt 6:25-27)?

 

“Hello – It Is Not Christmas Yet”

Okay, so I admit I am a little perturbed at all the Christmas stuff going on.  I can not even turn on the radio without hearing Christmas music.  First off, I am not a grinch, I just wish the true season of Advent would get its just attention.

The Advent season is important too, it is the time we Christians are suppose to be in prayer and study for the arrival of Jesus.  But as we are typical, we do not want to wait, we want it now, so we put up the tree, turn on the music and shop til we drop.

I ask all to remember that this season is NOT about the tree, lights, decorations, presents or even the feasts planned – Advent is our time of anticipation, desire to see and joy at the upcoming arrival of our Lord.  DO NOT rush this season – savor with anticipation the coming – look forward with joy to His words – and sincerely appreciate the best gift ever given which was His life for our sins,

DO NOT RUSH

SAVOR
ANTICIPATE

APPRECIATE

Enjoy the Advent season more thoroughly and you may find that Christmas is all the more precious.

 

God Loves You And So Do I

 

Michele

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is the day that we all sit down with family and eat and eat and eat.  While we’re doing that I have a few things that I’d like all of us to think about.  Part of this month’s theme has gluttony in it.  Gluttony is usually associated with food, but let’s take it to the next level.

Thanksgiving is all about being thankful for what we have.  Gluttony is the opposite of that.  Webster defines is as “greedy or excessive indulgence”.  So why talk about this on Thanksgiving?  We, as a people, need to learn to be thankful for what we have and be content.  The marketing companies in this country are always about having more, or better.  We find ourselves wanting more.

I’ve been there.  We were pretty poor, on Food Stamps and Assistance.  One year the local church came with a box of food, a turkey with all the trimmings.  Needless to say, I cried, and I felt so humble.  Here I was feeling bitter because we couldn’t afford the whole meal and the Lord stepped in and had these wonderful people bring it to me.  Yes, I was very thankful that year.

But I still wanted more out of life.  I wanted the house, the car, the job…  all the things that this world tells us we must have.  Didn’t matter that we had a roof over our heads, food to eat and a vehicle to drive.  I wanted better.  I won’t go into how the Lord brought me to where I am today, but let’s just say that life has never been easy for me.

Through all these years I’ve learned to be content.  Content with what I have, which is more than what many others have.  I have a wonderful family, a roof over my head, food to eat and a loving church family.  What more could I want?

Come To The Table

I have recently been hearing this song on the radio and it strikes a chord deep inside – Remember He came for the sick and sinful – of which I am one. So come join me at His table I look forward to seeing you there.

“Come To The Table”

We all start on the outside
The outside looking in
This is where grace begins
We were hungry, we were thirsty
With nothing left to give
Oh the shape that we were in
Just when all hope seemed lost
Love opened the door for us

He said come to the table
Come join the sinners who have been redeemed
Take your place beside the Savior
Sit down and be set free
Come to the table

Come meet this motley crew of misfits
These liars and these thiefs
There’s no one unwelcome here
So that sin and shame that you brought with you
You can leave it at the door
Let mercy draw you near

Come to the table
Come join the sinners who have been redeemed
Take your place beside the Savior
Sit down and be set free
Come to the table
Come to the table

To the thief and to the doubter
To the hero and the coward
To the prisoner and the soldier
To the young and to the older
All who hunger, all who thirst
All the last and all the first
All the paupers and the princes
All who fail you’ve been forgiven
All who dream and all who suffer
All who loved and lost another
All the chained and all the free
All who follow, all who lead
Anyone who’s been let down
All the lost you have been found
All who have been labeled right or wrong
To everyone who hears this song

Ooh
Come to the table
Come join the sinners you have been redeemed
Take your place beside the Savior
Sit down and be set free
Oooh
Sit down and be set free
Come to the table
Come to the table
Just sit down and rest a while
Just sit down and rest a while
Come to the table

Credit for song to Sidewalk Prophets