Dear Lord: Thank You!

Thanksgiving is that time when families get together, there is plenty of food, football and naps. The women have a great time of visiting and then comes the cleanup. Then comes that feeling of “ Oh I ate too much, and I don’t want to see any turkey for a long time.” In most homes this is usually a tradition. Exodus 12:14, speaks of a tradition of the Passover that was to be held every year. Don’t you think that God endorses traditions especially if they have spiritual significance? Traditions promote togetherness and help us to remember all that God has done for us. One of the greatest traditions ( inheritance) that we can leave our family and succeeding generations is a tradition of frequently reminding them of God’s blessings, care, provision, and presence in our lives. Duet. 4:9 - Watch out be very careful never forget what you have seen what the Lord has done for you -- do not let these things escape from your mind as long as you live. Pass them on to your children and your grand children.
Why should we give thanks to the Lord? I Chron. 16:34--Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His love endures forever. I Corn. 15:57--He has given us victory over death through Jesus Christ. For answered prayer. I Chron. 16:18 - give thanks and proclaim God’s greatness. Psalm 111:1-2 - Praise the Lord. I will thank the Lord with all my heart. How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them. Col. 2:7 - Let your lives over flow with thanksgiving for all he has done.
How do you show your thankfulness? Are you singing praises to the Lord? When you come before him are you coming with thanksgiving and praise. It is good to proclaim the goodness of the Lord. Do you find yourself in a constant state of thankfulness or do you complain, find fault? Only you can do it -- expressing gratitude to God and to others. Are you taking the time to do it? Are you finding it hard to do because you are so wrapped up in what God is not doing for you, so that you fail to see the gifts that God has given you? Life, food, a family, friends, health and work? I Chron. 16:7-36 - Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name - make known his deeds among the people. Do you remember all that God has done for you -- do you tell others? Are you thankful to God for his love, forgiveness, salvation, patience, tenderness and kindness, and for him not giving us what we deserve? You can always think of something to be thankful about. My grandfather ( who was blind ) - got up each morning and thanked his God for the beautiful sunshine that he felt. He thanked God for the beautiful day -- he used to tease us and say another day above ground was a beautiful day. Are you thankful for a warm place to sleep, running water in your house, a refrigerator you can go to, that first cup of coffee, a child’s sticky kiss, a hug, or a phone call from an friend, an encouraging word, your personal relationship with Christ, how about living forever with your heavenly Father. Take time everyday to thank God for something. You can’t learn to be thankful if you are always complaining. If you begin to practice today, tomorrow and the next day, who knows it may become a natural thing for you to do.
Janice- Female CR Encourager Coach

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 23, 2009 at 5:56 AM

    Even though I will have to work this Thanksgiving (probably the first time ever) I am so very grateful that I have a job. I will still have enough time to make a meal for my little family. Trinity will help me to cook ahead and I am sure that Cody will step up and cook something, too (maybe I will put him in charge of the turkey:) ).

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  2. AnonymousNovember 23, 2009 at 8:01 AM

    Gail McConnell: I am glad for this website. It is good to give testimony to the Cross and to thank God for His favor and mercy which He promises His children who love Him and obey Him. Yesterday I was on an outing with my two precious granddaughters. As I was driving I was sharing with Abby and Mia about going to the Lord with anything!!!...that He wanted a personal intimate relationship with us even about a car breaking down, problems on our jobs, feelings of hurt and sadness. I was relating this to Abby's feelings about words she had received concerning "what she was not doing right in her basketball game". She told me she felt sad and frustrated. As we were talking I saw the red lights behind me. I had not been paying attention to the speed limit. I also had not renewed my driver's license due September. As I pulled over I said outloud "Lord, help me. If You are willing, give me underserved mercy. Help me be humble to the policeman." As the policeman spoke, he clearly (yet with a noncritical voice) rebuked me for driving too fast(60 in a 40 zone). I told him I was not paying attention (admitted my guilt) and that I was thinking about the place I was headed with my granddaughters (the truth). He came back and said although he should have written me up for driving that fast and also should have towed my car because of the two month lateness in getting my license renewed, he was only going to issue a warning. GOD RESPONDED TO MY REQUEST FOR UNDESERVED GRACE. As I shared with my granddaughters about asking God for mercy in this situation and for my heart to be humble instead of beating myself up or feeling resentment towards the law, I could see that "they got it!" Hallelujah! God was using this irresponsibility on my part to show my granddaughters how merciful He is to His children even when they don't deserve mercy.
    One of my gifts to my granddaughters this Christmas is a journal called "I WILL INVITE GOD INTO MY EVERYDAY LIFE AND TRUST HIM TO
    BE MY FATHER AND FRIEND". My granddaughters and I will share our hearts together throughout the week about how we invited God into the practical events of our life and not hesitate just because we feel sad, scared, guilty, or shamed. I felt all of these when I saw the red lights. I chose by faith to trust God for His mercy and accept His will no matter what. I didn't know if He would give me mercy and favor. If He had chosen to have me pay a big fine and have my car towed, I would still have trusted Him as it would have been part of my discipline by fire to be more in self-control. Does this mean that I will drive fast now and be late in getting things done? No!!! It means I will move with God's help into being more responsible. THIS IS MY GOD! HE IS IN CONTROL! My granddaughters are learning to see what happens when God's daughters humble ourselves before Him in practical everyday matters. I know that the policeman saw humbless in me. I saw Jesus in him. Wow! Is our God amazing or what! Oh! And just another note. The policeman asked what I did for a living. I told him I was a speech language pathologist. He told me his wife was about to graduate from college with an undergraduate degree in speech pathology. She is looking for 20 hours of work while she goes on to graduate school. I gave him the number of the place where I do private contracting. wHO KNOWS WHAT GOD WILL GO WITH THIS!!!!

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