Here it is at 11:47, and I am just now starting my blog post - again. This seems to happen each time I do this blogging challenge. I start the month really good, but by the 10th, it's getting just a little hard to keep up with. For a couple of weeks, I ask myself, about every other day, why did I sign up for this? It's harder to fit in than you may think. But about the 25th, I am going to be so close to the end, that I will realize that I can really do this, and I'll finish well... it's just that a lot of times the things that you feel are important or worthwhile are hard, too, you know? This carries over into all areas of life... and that's okay. In fact, it's wonderful! It shows us what is really important. It shows us where we might be holding on too much. It allows us to truly appreciate the end result. Often, these things remind us just how much our Heavenly Father cares about ever single little detail of our lives.
My day has been full, busy, insane and yet at the same time, very meaningful. Did I mention it was full? Just last Wednesday morning, I had absolutely no plans whatsoever for Friday. But today "has been another epoch in my life", and it was so neat to see how a lot of things worked together. Personally, I had a lot that happened - some of it quite unplanned by me, and some of it somewhat unexpected. But all of it so obviously planned by Someone down to the very last detail. The Someone who made the universe plans my life by every detail; why is that so hard to realize sometimes? Why do we need reminders at times? And yet, on the other hand - how gracious of the Lord to send us those reminders. Aren't you glad that He repeatedly draws us to Himself in so many ways?
So yes, my day was full (and was, apparently, the 21st anniversary of my first road trip, according to my Gramma, who drove my Granny and Aunt Donna down to meet Isaac <3). And a lot of the upcoming days may be full. I really, really wanted to write every.single.day. this month, because it's going to be the last Write31 challenge, and I wanted to know I had "finished well". Am I still going to aim to finish well? Of course. But my life is in a season of change right now, and that's okay. If I miss a day, I'm not going to stress about it. God has given me things to do, and I want to do my best. Sometimes, that best can take twists and turns - the journey takes stops along the way that you didn't plan on your road map. And sometimes, the unplanned adventure is just as useful or enjoyable as the one you started out on. So while I always want to do my best, I also need to learn that sometimes it's best to be "best" at a few things instead of "stretched" between a lot. So if I have to drop good things to make room for better things, that's not just okay, that's wonderful.
But don't think you'll get rid of me completely if that happens... because, remember, rest, don't quit ;).
Rejoicing in Hope,
Bri <3
Welcome to my own little spot on the web where I share my faith, my life, and my ramblings. Stay for a while, won't you?
Showing posts with label Thankful. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thankful. Show all posts
Friday, October 12, 2018
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Summer ✽ Autumn
I somewhat feel like I now have a tag blog, I so often have one of these posts (with one more coming next month!)), but they are so much fun... haha :). So thank you to all those who think of me and my humble little blog when you are tagging people :)!
Today I am going to fill out two tags at once; one very opportunely looks back at summer, and the other is a little questionnaire for September, the beginning of fall, so it seemed the perfect way to combine the two posts and the blending of the seasons that many of us down here in the south are seeing at this time (because fall treats and flip flops are both the norm here right now, right?)
Speaking of which - Happy Autumn, y'all <3!
Blessings of Summer 2018 Tag
THE RULES
*Please thank the person who tagged you! -Thank you, Alyssa :)!!!
*Please include these rules on your blog!
*If it is past the summer, for example: Winter 2019, you can use this tag as “Blessings from Winter 2019 Tag!”
*Write 10+ blessings from God during that season in your post! Include pictures!
*Tag 4 bloggers!
*If it’s a new season, bloggers can re-tag those who were already tagged a previous season! (So if this tag circulates, instead of potentially dying off, we can keep it going by using it again each season. Like, if a blog friend of yours doesn’t get around to doing it till mid-fall, they can re-tag you to do it again for fall 2018!)
BLESSING OF SUMMER 2018...
The hardest part about listing all my blessings is that I always think of all the little moments, and I feel like y'all are probably more interested in the big events... haha :). But, here we go with a few of my favorite things from the past months :)!
Abbi and Emmi enjoying a fun birthday outing!
1. Summer starts and ends with us celebrating family, with 6 birthdays from June to mid-September (Andrew and Tori will take care of our fall birthdays this week, and Bethi and the middle boys take care of spring birthdays - we currently have no winter birthdays in the immediate family!). Each and every member of the family is a gift, so it is wonderful to have a day set aside for each to remind them of how thankful we are for them!
First sibling pic with 10 <3!
Blueberry picking...
Rock climbing...
Riding ponies for the first time...
I love this picture of Noah!
Our zoo had so many babies this year! Here is the koala...
And if you look really, really, really hard, you might see the baby gorilla, haha :).
Father's day outing!
4. One outdoor outing we took was quite unusual. Andrew, Bethi, Daddy and I all went to a state park one night to see the synchronized fireflies! They had a very short trail marked off with lights for main viewing, but we took one of the side trails to get to the lake. The walk there was quite pleasant (for Bethi and I - Daddy and Andrew were attacked by bugs left and right), but coming back was not nearly as fun, as only Daddy could see more than three feet ahead of him, haha. But, it was worth it to see all the fireflies lining the tree tops, all flashing their lights at the same time :)! It was definitely a neat experience!
Peter hit several milestones this summer, including loosing his first 2 teeth, and beginning to read!
5. My summer was filled with several unexpected times of fellowship! Our church held an afternoon for the woman to come together and knit/crochet, which Bethi and I attended and greatly enjoyed! I also met up with a friend last minute when she ended up in town, and reconnected with a friend via blogger - and I also got to meet Ashley, the sweet blogger from Precious Moments! She and her mom attended a wedding, and on their way by they stopped in at our church, that was so neat :)! Our church friends also blessed us greatly after the arrival of little Isaac, with cards and gifts and meals.
6. Small blessings are always my favorite... we can't forget bible time, coffee, snuggles and books with littles, plants, and all those wonderful things!
Mama has always homeschooled year-round so that we can take breaks when it's important to us, instead of when other people are used to; it just works better. So several times over the summer, Noah came to do puzzles beside me while I worked on shop to-dos, so he wouldn't be a distraction during reading time :).
Mama stenciled this onsie!
And this blanket <3.
And these are a few of my favorite personal projects :).
8. No season of life is ever complete for me without a couple of things having been accomplished... crafting, and reading (and probably cleaning out my boxes and drawers, at least quickly). Our summer was filled with a very special reason to craft, preparing for Isaac's arrival! Hand lettering, fabric stamping, crocheting, knitting... there was plenty of everything to keep us plenty busy!
9. There were many books that I enjoyed reading... a couple of my favorites were "Girl Defined" and "Women of the Word", both of which I highly recommend to everybody! I also got some time in for some fun fiction books. Right before Summer ended, several of my siblings, my Mama and I all started going through a bible reading with many, many other ladies through an online ministry that a church runs. It has been so neat to go through it with so many other ladies who each notice different things that the text brings to light. And it has been so much fun to all be at the same place and better able to discuss what we are reading, learning, and noticing for the first time!
Fourth of July.
10. Our summer came to a close with the events of hurricane Florence. Thankfully, but the time it hit land, it had already started to lose it's force, and we and all our friends in it's path were kept safe! Our family personally didn't even lose power, we just had a very rainy, cozy Sunday, which was the perfect day for me to get some cleaning and work done to be ready and caught up a bit for autumn. Despite how blessed we were, though, there were several deaths and damage caused by the storm, and I know that many of those affected would be grateful for continued prayers.
And I realize, looking back at my summer, that I probably want to think about taking more pictures than I do. Actually, it's something I have been working on recently. But. 1. I still don't think about it as much as I would like, because I get too busy/think I have plenty of time later, and 2. My phone camera is really not that great, and so it's not a very great encouragement to remember more when I do remember, haha...
Now it's your turn! Any of you can take this tag and fill it out :)! What blessings do you think of when you look back at your summer?
But, I'll also tag several of you especially :)...
-Kainoa from Kainoa's Corner.
-Ashley from Precious Moments.
-Maddy from Little Bit of Sunshine.
-Hosanna from Having a Heart Like His.
Go ahead and do whatever season you get around to ;). Haha!
Hello September Blog Tag
(Or, you know, the "September means fall and fall lasts longer than the beginning of September, so this tag is still relevant tag" ;)...)
THE RULES
*Thank the person who tagged you. Thank you, Maddy!
*Answer
the questions.
*Nominate at least three other bloggers.
*Write
out at least ten new questions or just copy these.
*Include the
guidelines in your post, use the tag picture, and try to avoid
nominating bloggers who have already been nominated.
THE QUESTIONS
Fall or autumn?
Autumn. Always Autumn. I may say fall, because that's just kind of what we call it here in the USA, but I will always think of it as autumn. I promise there is a difference ;).
Favorite fall activity?
Baking spicy sweets and going for a walk when it actually feels/looks like fall :)!
Sweaters or hoodies?
Sweaters. I love sweaters! Although I admit, they are kind of hot down here until about January... haha!
How would you describe the perfect fall day?
The perfect fall day would include baking + doing something crafty, a walk outside with a crisp wind blowing and the colored leaves rustling, followed by a warm cup of coffee + a fall treat enjoyed while reading/watching a fallish book/movie (not a book or movie about fall, because there seem to be few, but a book or movie that has the comrade-ish, beautiful, thoughtful feeling of fall). And then a family supper enjoyed leisurely, and a few moments before bed spent journaling about + thanking God for some of my many blessings :)!
Windy or rainy days?
Windy. That way I can get outside and enjoy it!
Apple pie or pumpkin pie?
Mmmmmm, my mama's pumpkin pie with homemade whipped cream! We actually just had some for Andrew's birthday, delicious!
Do you like apple cider donuts?
I have had them once - we went apple picking with my grandparents, and they "treated" everyone. I was skeptical at first about fruity donuts, but now that I have had one, I kind of want them again every once in a while.
Favorite fall time drink?
Warm coffee. What other answer did you think I could give ;)?
If you could go to one state in the USA, just for the fall scenery, where would you go?
Just for the fall scenery? Let's just say Virginia, but the truth is I would do more than look at scenery while I was there, haha (I like to multi-task/do the most productive things when given a choice - if I were taking a trip, it just makes sense to say hello to friends at the same time). BUT, it DOES have such gorgeous colors when fall comes <3. Here in SC, half the trees are pines, and they aren't that fallish, but Virginia has next to none, and they have pretty falls!
Just for the fall scenery? Let's just say Virginia, but the truth is I would do more than look at scenery while I was there, haha (I like to multi-task/do the most productive things when given a choice - if I were taking a trip, it just makes sense to say hello to friends at the same time). BUT, it DOES have such gorgeous colors when fall comes <3. Here in SC, half the trees are pines, and they aren't that fallish, but Virginia has next to none, and they have pretty falls!
What color leaf do you like best?
Hm. That's a tough question. I think orange, but I also love red. Yellow and brown give nice contrast, but I wouldn't want those to be the only colors :).
I tag...
-Alyssa from Here is Love.
-Molly from A Ramble Through the Woods.
-Bethi from Gratefully His.
Here are my questions for you girls! (For what is, I guess, now the Hello Fall tag ;)...)
-What book do you think has the qualities of fall in it?
-What is the first thing you want to do when autumn gets here?
-What is your favorite fall treat?
-Favorite thing pumpkin?
-What is one thing that most people think is a fall activity that you may or may not indulge in in secret year round?
-Do you like another season better than autumn?
-Is the scenery pretty around you during autumn, or do you have to pretend fall has come?
-What are 3 things you are grateful for?
-Do you enjoy apple picking?
-What is your favorite bible verse about gratefulness?
And now I'm going to wrap up this post... but I will be back very, very soon... because October and Write31 are just around the corner!
Rejoicing in Hope,
Bri
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
And I Will Praise Him
"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God concerning you."
Everything.
This verse has, so often, been used to remind us to give thanks in trials. Because "everything" does include trials as well. We are to give thanks in all things. We have a children's cd that teaches bible verses to a tune, with a short explanation of the verse before each song (Steve Green's "Hide Them in Your Heart"), And at one point it says 'Don't give until it hurts- give 'til it tickles!" We could change this to, don't give thanks until you get to a tough time when it doesn't come naturally. Give thanks through the trial until you are truly joyful despite your circumstances!
A joyful heart will be at rest. Bitterness, discouragement, fear, will all bring turmoil to the soul. But when we praise the Lord, He starts to fill our hearts and crowd those things out, leaving his perfect peace in its stead. There might not be anything about the situation that we can find to be thankful for. But we can be thankful that God will carry us through it! Or for the blessings he will reveal later that were included in it! Or we can be thankful for the lessons he will teach us through it. This is something I had to thank him for a couple weeks ago, because the conviction he brought me to through the way I was acting was the only thing that redeemed the situation! I'm so glad nothing we can do can make us lose our salvation when God has claimed us as his own!
There is one thing, though, that I think we often forget when we are thinking of this verse, just because of how it has been "programmed" in our minds to think of it as touching trials. And that is that it doesn't just mean "in the hard things", it literally means in everything, even the small, often un-noticed details, things that appear insignificant! Picture frames and paper. Heaters and fans. Coffee. Blankets. Socks. A letter in the mail. A hug, and a friend's prayers for you. Even an act of kindness from another person, while we should thank them for it, ultimately comes from the Lord!
So we thank God for everything. The big, the small, the eternal. Salvation. His unchanging word. Our hope. The refinement going on in our lives. That he is ready to bear our every need and except our humble offerings.Whatever we can find to thank him for in whatever we are going through, he deserves that praise! And we'll never run out, for the Lord has been so good to us!
How badly do I want to be grateful? How much obedience do I want to show my Savior? I know it's important. I realize it's critical in my walk with the Lord. But it can just be head knowledge that I agree with, or I can give myself over to it becoming my lifestyle.
It's a choice we have to make. It's like cleaning our room. While it might be hard, or we just might not feel like it, we'll be miserable if we don't make that choice to get things tidied up. (Incidentally, it will be more pleasant to clean said room if we make the choice not to grumble over it ;).) We can choose to be grateful! Each choice will make it more and more a habit -which we can thank God for. But it does have to be conscientious decision made to lean on the Lord's guidance and strength rather than our own. We must replace complaints with thanks. Discouragement with prayers. Be generous with our thanks, to both God and others. Study what the bible tells us about gratitude to keep it close to our hearts. Thank the Lord for the blessing of opening our eyes to this command and giving us the strength to obey Him for his glory. And we will praise him.
Gratefully,
Bri
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
How Can I Say Thanks
*A continuation of that thankful series that I started and kind of left hanging when blogging slipped to the back burner...again ;)*
--------------------------------------------------------
When Jehoshaphat was king, the armies of the Moabites and Ammonites, and the Meunites, were invading. The people of Israel heard of it beforehand, but not with enough time to spare to make an effective counterattack, by the world's terms. But King Jehoshaphat knew the Lord was on their side. He called for fasting and prayer, and they sought the Lord's power to save.
And the Lord gave them an answer through one of his priests. In essence... they didn't need to make any battle plans, because the Lord had them. They just needed to take their army to the appointed place, trusting in the Lord, without fear, and watch him work. He promised salvation to the nation of Israel.
I don't know about you, but I would probably ask for a clearer plan for that. And I would probably give in to fears about how everything was going to work out. But what did the Israelites do? They worshiped the Lord. They praised the Lord "with a very loud voice".
And the next morning, early, promptly, they headed out to do as God had told them. King Jehoshaphat reminded them to keep trusting in their Lord. And then he chose a group to go ahead of the army, singing praises to God for his steadfast love.
"And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another." 2 Chronicles 20:22-23.
At the moment that they began to sing of the Lord's love, He set other armies against those coming to destroy the Israelites. Maybe they thought the Moabites were coming to get them, rather than the Israelites. Maybe they just simply hated these armies, or loved the glory of winning a war. Whatever their human reasoning was for going out to meet this army was, the truth was, the Lord stirred them up to go save his people who were trusting and praising him.
And the armies of Israel went home, praising the Lord, and came into the city with trumpets and praise!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Psalmist says, in Psalm 34:1, "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth."
A grateful heart spilling over, bringing an offering of praise to our Lord. But how important is it that that praise be voiced aloud?
Think of all the ways that telling of the mercies of the Lord will benefit all of us; speaking them will solidify their memory in our mind, and make us more mindful of the blessing they are. Sharing them will encourage other believers to praise Him with us, and to give thought to the blessings they have been given. It will be a witness to unbelievers that our God is powerful and worthy to be praised, that we delight in being His.
Think about times you have been grateful to someone for something they did for you. Did that thanks do them any good before you voiced it? How about the last time that someone gave you a thank you? Do you really wish that they would have kept it to themselves? Why should we not give our Lord the same kind of honor, just because, "Oh, he reads my thoughts. He'll know I was grateful, anyway." "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (Matthew 6:8), but he still wants us to come before him and admit that we have a need only He can fill. He wants our praise, as well, even if He already knows we appreciate the gifts.
Friday, March 18, 2016
Thankful Habits
"The grateful heart that springs forth in joy is not acquired in a moment, it is the fruit of a thousand choices". "Choosing Gratitude, p. 68
As with any habit, one of gratitude will take steady, slow plodding. But, praise the Lord, he has made us strong, and will not stop refining us until that day when we see him face to face!
Some of the reasons Nancy DeMoss shares for cultivating this "habit", or heart, are...
~It is an act of obedience, as commanded in Colossians 3:17. "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
~Because it brings us closer to our Lord. Think of it... we have a continual audience with God, for bringing both our needs AND our praises!
~It brings the Lord's peace ("Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 4:6-7)
~It is the evidence of and a mirror of Christ's spirit in us. We see many instances where Christ "gave thanks", and his spirit enables us to do the same!
~And this was my favorite point she made... it's preparation for heaven!!! Revelation tells us again and again that the angels, saints, and seraphim continually praise him! This is just the start of a glorious eternity!!!!
This thought of habits made me think of something that happened to me awhile ago. Have you ever thought of the fact that the answer you give to the question "how are you doing" can be a form of worship, thanks, and witness for our Savior?
"I've been doing pretty good, how about you?", I answered the older gentleman at church.
"Just good? Not great? How about blessed?!", he enthusiastically quaried.
It was kind of eye opening to me. I can be including a "thank you" to the Lord in polite "how-dee-doos". "The Lord has blessed me!" An acknowledgement to my Savior, and a witness to him to those that I'm talking to. And I can testify that this man does practice what he preaches, because I have heard him respond many times to the question how his week was with "I've been blessed!"
Habits, even small ones like a new phrase to answer a common question with, are not broken or made easily. But I think our habits get to the heart of the matter. If I am truly grateful to my Lord, EVERY act will be an act of worship. Even if it isn't whining, if it's not worship, it's not the best I can give my King!
As with any habit, one of gratitude will take steady, slow plodding. But, praise the Lord, he has made us strong, and will not stop refining us until that day when we see him face to face!
Some of the reasons Nancy DeMoss shares for cultivating this "habit", or heart, are...
~It is an act of obedience, as commanded in Colossians 3:17. "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
~Because it brings us closer to our Lord. Think of it... we have a continual audience with God, for bringing both our needs AND our praises!
~It brings the Lord's peace ("Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 4:6-7)
~It is the evidence of and a mirror of Christ's spirit in us. We see many instances where Christ "gave thanks", and his spirit enables us to do the same!
~And this was my favorite point she made... it's preparation for heaven!!! Revelation tells us again and again that the angels, saints, and seraphim continually praise him! This is just the start of a glorious eternity!!!!
This thought of habits made me think of something that happened to me awhile ago. Have you ever thought of the fact that the answer you give to the question "how are you doing" can be a form of worship, thanks, and witness for our Savior?
"I've been doing pretty good, how about you?", I answered the older gentleman at church.
"Just good? Not great? How about blessed?!", he enthusiastically quaried.
It was kind of eye opening to me. I can be including a "thank you" to the Lord in polite "how-dee-doos". "The Lord has blessed me!" An acknowledgement to my Savior, and a witness to him to those that I'm talking to. And I can testify that this man does practice what he preaches, because I have heard him respond many times to the question how his week was with "I've been blessed!"
Habits, even small ones like a new phrase to answer a common question with, are not broken or made easily. But I think our habits get to the heart of the matter. If I am truly grateful to my Lord, EVERY act will be an act of worship. Even if it isn't whining, if it's not worship, it's not the best I can give my King!
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Thankful: From the Heart
Does gratitude, or whining, dominate our life? Which defines "us"?
I know that for myself, I have a long way to go before gratitude is my INITIAL response, and I could be considered a truly grateful person. One of the things that God has been bringing to my attention this year has been my choice of words, and especially how some of them are the complete opposite of thankful speech.
Sentences like "So annoying..."
"I really don't want to do this"
"I *really* wish..."
And other generally fussing at things that inconvenience me or mess up my plans.
"Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks". And I have to face the fact that these words do not come from the abundance of a thankful heart. They actually show the opposite -a heart that is discontent with what it finds around it. A heart discontent with the plan that the Lord, who keeps the planets in perfect motion and set our earth the only distance from the sun that would sustain life, has set for me. As if I knew better how to control my life! And that is not the kind of heart that gives glory to it's redeemer. And even if, outwardly, you might not voice your complaints, and you may seem to others to be a terribly grateful person, the Lord sees the heart.
But it's not enough to just "stop complaining". If you don't replace these thoughts with something else, that is all that your heart will dwell on, whether you voice it or not. You cannot create a void in your thoughts. You must either replace them with conscientious prayers of thanks and pleas for help when you are inclined to grumble, or you must accept defeat. Thoughts left unattended will not just do nothing, they will wander. Like sheep if the shepherd were just to hope that the sheep would stand still if he took a nap will go get into some sort of trouble, so will our thoughts. Thankfully, we CAN choose joy! But only through and for the Lord, or we fight a loosing battle!
This is probably the most convicting of these posts I will write, for me personally. I have so far to go in this area, I feel like I shouldn't be writing it! But at the same time, this is what the Lord has been showing me, and I think that admitting that will keep me more accountable, and hopefully encourage some of you, as well! May the Lord receive all glory!
I know that for myself, I have a long way to go before gratitude is my INITIAL response, and I could be considered a truly grateful person. One of the things that God has been bringing to my attention this year has been my choice of words, and especially how some of them are the complete opposite of thankful speech.
Sentences like "So annoying..."
"I really don't want to do this"
"I *really* wish..."
And other generally fussing at things that inconvenience me or mess up my plans.
"Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks". And I have to face the fact that these words do not come from the abundance of a thankful heart. They actually show the opposite -a heart that is discontent with what it finds around it. A heart discontent with the plan that the Lord, who keeps the planets in perfect motion and set our earth the only distance from the sun that would sustain life, has set for me. As if I knew better how to control my life! And that is not the kind of heart that gives glory to it's redeemer. And even if, outwardly, you might not voice your complaints, and you may seem to others to be a terribly grateful person, the Lord sees the heart.
But it's not enough to just "stop complaining". If you don't replace these thoughts with something else, that is all that your heart will dwell on, whether you voice it or not. You cannot create a void in your thoughts. You must either replace them with conscientious prayers of thanks and pleas for help when you are inclined to grumble, or you must accept defeat. Thoughts left unattended will not just do nothing, they will wander. Like sheep if the shepherd were just to hope that the sheep would stand still if he took a nap will go get into some sort of trouble, so will our thoughts. Thankfully, we CAN choose joy! But only through and for the Lord, or we fight a loosing battle!
This is probably the most convicting of these posts I will write, for me personally. I have so far to go in this area, I feel like I shouldn't be writing it! But at the same time, this is what the Lord has been showing me, and I think that admitting that will keep me more accountable, and hopefully encourage some of you, as well! May the Lord receive all glory!
Friday, March 11, 2016
Thankful: To Who?
Any one can be thankful. We would all have to admit that, whether a person is giving thanks to a specific source or not, we have heard pretty much everybody in our lives saying, at some point, "Oh, I'm so thankful that/for...". So what is the difference between a natural and a Christ-centered thankfulness?
True Christ-centered gratitude does not simply say, "Oh, I'm so glad we have food to eat!". It is a gratitude pointed directly at Christ, acknowledging thankfulness to God for providing that food! Thank your Daddy for the hard work that God uses to bring it to the table -but don't forget to tell God thank you for your Daddy and his job, and the means to go get the food, either! But beyond just thanking God for those physical gifts to us, it is a deep thankfulness to God for His gift of spiritual life, that flows over every part of our life, making each act one of grateful service to him.
The root word for "grace", "gift", and "thanks" in the Greek is "charis". Nancy DeMoss points out, "The words are inseparable! And they should be inseparable in our hearts."
We do not just have a list of things that made us happy during the day to write down and then say, 'yep, I'm thankful!". We have something so precious, that even when no "happiness" comes from the day, we can still hold onto deep seated joy through our Savior and salvation. In everything, we have the assurance that "God's way are not our ways, nor his thoughts our thoughts", and that he has plans to "bring us a future and a hope". Even in moments that may not make us "happy", we can be joyful in Christ because he is working out something that we can not see yet.
He has given us eternal life. Do we need anything else from him to be continually thankful? This one thing should fill our hearts to overflowing with joy no matter our circumstances!
These "Thankful" blog posts are inspired by Nancy Leigh DeMoss's book "Choosing Gratitude" :).
True Christ-centered gratitude does not simply say, "Oh, I'm so glad we have food to eat!". It is a gratitude pointed directly at Christ, acknowledging thankfulness to God for providing that food! Thank your Daddy for the hard work that God uses to bring it to the table -but don't forget to tell God thank you for your Daddy and his job, and the means to go get the food, either! But beyond just thanking God for those physical gifts to us, it is a deep thankfulness to God for His gift of spiritual life, that flows over every part of our life, making each act one of grateful service to him.
The root word for "grace", "gift", and "thanks" in the Greek is "charis". Nancy DeMoss points out, "The words are inseparable! And they should be inseparable in our hearts."
We do not just have a list of things that made us happy during the day to write down and then say, 'yep, I'm thankful!". We have something so precious, that even when no "happiness" comes from the day, we can still hold onto deep seated joy through our Savior and salvation. In everything, we have the assurance that "God's way are not our ways, nor his thoughts our thoughts", and that he has plans to "bring us a future and a hope". Even in moments that may not make us "happy", we can be joyful in Christ because he is working out something that we can not see yet.
He has given us eternal life. Do we need anything else from him to be continually thankful? This one thing should fill our hearts to overflowing with joy no matter our circumstances!
These "Thankful" blog posts are inspired by Nancy Leigh DeMoss's book "Choosing Gratitude" :).
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Thankful: A Humble Act of Worship
How important is gratitude? And what priority does it have in our lives?
The first chapter opens by telling the story of a little girl who was living in the author's home at the time, and how she is being trained to say "thank you". This story made me chuckle, not because it is funny, but because Josiah is currently learning to say "thank you" and "sorry", and when I sat down to read, it hadn't been that long since he had started crying because he was told to tell Bethi thank you for changing his diaper, haha. I think that acknowledging that we need something from someone else, and that they gave it, goes against our human nature. We want to be able to do it all! But those simple words of thanks are an important- and critical- part of life. It humbles us. It encourages those who have been there for us and helped us through a need, no matter how "insignificant".
Stop and think for a moment... if others only helped you in ways that you thanked them for, would you get much help in your life? This can be a good gauge of our gratitude. Would we still have help in things like carrying food out to the table when it's our night to make supper? Somebody bringing us an item from upstairs when we have to stay downstairs for some reason? Help folding those big bed sheets?
While we might be able to do these things alone sometimes, there are times that we are in a hurry, and the whole family has to pitch in to do anything in time. Have we thought about what a blessing those people are to us in those times? Have we thanked them?
How about God? What if he only gave us what he thanked us for? Have we thanked him recently for air? For keeping our heart beating?
Gratitude is the starting point for true heart-felt service to our Lord. While some may feel like they must work to be saved, or that they don't need to do anything because the Lord has already done it all, a grateful heart will do all he asks simply because they want to give a small gift back to their Savior. Our thanks is an act of worship!
This is definitely something I am working on. The devotional in the back of the book for today was actually on a humble heart fit to give thanks to God (I didn't plan that!). I was reading through it, and I realized that I could think of several instances just in the past 24 hours where my pride had been the cause of ingratitude! The Lord is never done growing us and rooting out weeds until we stand before him at his throne!
Will you join me today in making a point to thank God and others for what they do for you?
These "Thankful" blog posts are inspired by Nancy Leigh DeMoss's book "Choosing Gratitude" :).
The first chapter opens by telling the story of a little girl who was living in the author's home at the time, and how she is being trained to say "thank you". This story made me chuckle, not because it is funny, but because Josiah is currently learning to say "thank you" and "sorry", and when I sat down to read, it hadn't been that long since he had started crying because he was told to tell Bethi thank you for changing his diaper, haha. I think that acknowledging that we need something from someone else, and that they gave it, goes against our human nature. We want to be able to do it all! But those simple words of thanks are an important- and critical- part of life. It humbles us. It encourages those who have been there for us and helped us through a need, no matter how "insignificant".
Stop and think for a moment... if others only helped you in ways that you thanked them for, would you get much help in your life? This can be a good gauge of our gratitude. Would we still have help in things like carrying food out to the table when it's our night to make supper? Somebody bringing us an item from upstairs when we have to stay downstairs for some reason? Help folding those big bed sheets?
While we might be able to do these things alone sometimes, there are times that we are in a hurry, and the whole family has to pitch in to do anything in time. Have we thought about what a blessing those people are to us in those times? Have we thanked them?
How about God? What if he only gave us what he thanked us for? Have we thanked him recently for air? For keeping our heart beating?
Gratitude is the starting point for true heart-felt service to our Lord. While some may feel like they must work to be saved, or that they don't need to do anything because the Lord has already done it all, a grateful heart will do all he asks simply because they want to give a small gift back to their Savior. Our thanks is an act of worship!
This is definitely something I am working on. The devotional in the back of the book for today was actually on a humble heart fit to give thanks to God (I didn't plan that!). I was reading through it, and I realized that I could think of several instances just in the past 24 hours where my pride had been the cause of ingratitude! The Lord is never done growing us and rooting out weeds until we stand before him at his throne!
Will you join me today in making a point to thank God and others for what they do for you?
These "Thankful" blog posts are inspired by Nancy Leigh DeMoss's book "Choosing Gratitude" :).
Friday, March 4, 2016
Thankful: Choosing Gratitude Brings it's Own Blessings
"Even in the most turbulent waters, choosing gratitude rescues me from myself and my run away emotions." ~Nancy Leigh DeMoss, "Choosing Gratitude"
I've heard so much about this book over the past year! Mama had read it, but, because I thought it was borrowed, I didn't even think of reading it, haha. Then, it suddenly started popping up e..v.e.r.y.where, on blogs and on links that were shared during KBR's November challenge, and the like. I regretted not having read it. Then Mama was going through some books, and I saw her pull this one out, and I was like, "Wait, we OWN that?!". Lol! So she passed it off to me to read, and it was soooo good! I planned on maybe doing a review, maybe sharing a couple of my favorite quotes, or just mentioning having read it and whether it was good, in a blog post afterward.... I sat down one morning with some cocoa and chocolate, started reading the introduction, and found that quote... and I immediately got out a notebook, because I could tell that this was going to give me more to share than a blog post, or even two. So, I just decided to go all out and make it a series, haha!
This book was, I have to say, wonderful. I would suggest reading it ...especially if you have a copy sitting around the house, as I apparently did... ;). The book itself was an easy but, convicting and encouraging, read, and then the month-long study guide at the back gives you a wonderful "continuation" point. I like to read books through in a couple days, but when there are studies to do with each chapter, I either end up not doing the study, or not being able to get all that into the book. It just requires too much of a gear shift for me, somehow. So I liked how this book was set up :).
That sentence, "Even in the most turbulent waters, choosing gratitude rescues me from myself and my run away emotions," really grabbed me, because I had realized much the same thing last August. I had been struggling with a lack of joy, and the Lord used Pinterest (of all the things!), to remind me of the choice I had to make. I never would have recommended Pinterest for a wake up call, but, hey... I guess it can happen ;). I was sitting staring at pins, when one with a bible verse about giving thanks popped up, and I rather absentmindedly clicked on it and looked at the related pins. And with things like "Count your many blessings, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done", "Keep an attitude of gratitude", "Rejoice in the Lord always" and various other phrases popping up, I decided that, as I wrote in my journal later that evening, "...I am going to make that a conscientious part of my day again. ...I miss that part of my day, and I miss being able to look back at those lists every week. I just miss everything about it, and I wish I hadn't let the ball drop. I dropped it without thinking, being busy, then felt like it "wasn't time" to start it back because I was still busy, and since then I told myself it's too much to try for. ...but rejoicing is a command, not an option. And I know I have always received blessings from following that command!"
Because I have found that when I specifically look for, say, three things a day to be thankful for... I end up looking for things all day long, and it comes up to way more than three, often :). And when you notice that you *can* go all day, all week, all the time, and not run out of things to praise the Lord for... it makes you realize how blessed you really are! And that realization breeds joy, and that joy brings more thankfulness, and it becomes a wonderful cycle :)! So, today, whether by paper and pen, or by typing a list up, or by sharing some things with someone else, or just by setting aside a time to dwell on the "benefits" we've been given, join me in counting our blessings :).
Some things I am thankful...
~That God has forgiven my iniquities.
~Redeemed my life.
~Gives steadfast love and mercy.
~"Renews our youth like the eagle's."
~For books like "Choosing Gratitude" that encourage us to fight the good fight.
~To be able to share this journey towards a more grateful spirit with you all.
~The grace of God, that molds his children more and more into his image each day, and will continue to do so until we stand before his throne.
What are you thankful for today?
These "Thankful" blog posts are inspired by Nancy Leigh DeMoss's book "Choosing Gratitude" :).
I've heard so much about this book over the past year! Mama had read it, but, because I thought it was borrowed, I didn't even think of reading it, haha. Then, it suddenly started popping up e..v.e.r.y.where, on blogs and on links that were shared during KBR's November challenge, and the like. I regretted not having read it. Then Mama was going through some books, and I saw her pull this one out, and I was like, "Wait, we OWN that?!". Lol! So she passed it off to me to read, and it was soooo good! I planned on maybe doing a review, maybe sharing a couple of my favorite quotes, or just mentioning having read it and whether it was good, in a blog post afterward.... I sat down one morning with some cocoa and chocolate, started reading the introduction, and found that quote... and I immediately got out a notebook, because I could tell that this was going to give me more to share than a blog post, or even two. So, I just decided to go all out and make it a series, haha!
This book was, I have to say, wonderful. I would suggest reading it ...especially if you have a copy sitting around the house, as I apparently did... ;). The book itself was an easy but, convicting and encouraging, read, and then the month-long study guide at the back gives you a wonderful "continuation" point. I like to read books through in a couple days, but when there are studies to do with each chapter, I either end up not doing the study, or not being able to get all that into the book. It just requires too much of a gear shift for me, somehow. So I liked how this book was set up :).
That sentence, "Even in the most turbulent waters, choosing gratitude rescues me from myself and my run away emotions," really grabbed me, because I had realized much the same thing last August. I had been struggling with a lack of joy, and the Lord used Pinterest (of all the things!), to remind me of the choice I had to make. I never would have recommended Pinterest for a wake up call, but, hey... I guess it can happen ;). I was sitting staring at pins, when one with a bible verse about giving thanks popped up, and I rather absentmindedly clicked on it and looked at the related pins. And with things like "Count your many blessings, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done", "Keep an attitude of gratitude", "Rejoice in the Lord always" and various other phrases popping up, I decided that, as I wrote in my journal later that evening, "...I am going to make that a conscientious part of my day again. ...I miss that part of my day, and I miss being able to look back at those lists every week. I just miss everything about it, and I wish I hadn't let the ball drop. I dropped it without thinking, being busy, then felt like it "wasn't time" to start it back because I was still busy, and since then I told myself it's too much to try for. ...but rejoicing is a command, not an option. And I know I have always received blessings from following that command!"
Because I have found that when I specifically look for, say, three things a day to be thankful for... I end up looking for things all day long, and it comes up to way more than three, often :). And when you notice that you *can* go all day, all week, all the time, and not run out of things to praise the Lord for... it makes you realize how blessed you really are! And that realization breeds joy, and that joy brings more thankfulness, and it becomes a wonderful cycle :)! So, today, whether by paper and pen, or by typing a list up, or by sharing some things with someone else, or just by setting aside a time to dwell on the "benefits" we've been given, join me in counting our blessings :).
Some things I am thankful...
~That God has forgiven my iniquities.
~Redeemed my life.
~Gives steadfast love and mercy.
~"Renews our youth like the eagle's."
~For books like "Choosing Gratitude" that encourage us to fight the good fight.
~To be able to share this journey towards a more grateful spirit with you all.
~The grace of God, that molds his children more and more into his image each day, and will continue to do so until we stand before his throne.
What are you thankful for today?
These "Thankful" blog posts are inspired by Nancy Leigh DeMoss's book "Choosing Gratitude" :).
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