Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving Day may be a side dish. Our minds on food, gathering, and timing...giving thanks thrown in before the meal. Now none of us do that, I know...but going beyond this day is what I want to write about...where the rubber meets the road.
When I got the call 20 years ago that my Mother and Father had been in a serious car wreck my first thought was, "Am I going to practice what I preach"? I'm sure it was the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
I went upstairs by myself, got on my knees and said Thank You to the Lord. I could not say, "Thank you that my Mother and Father have been in a serious car wreck"...the fact that she was probably not going to make it and thank Him for that. But I expressed the desires of my heart, thanked him for the situation, acknowledged He was in charge/control and their life was in His hands. A peace filled my heart about the whole thing..not an assurance that she was going to make it, but a peace. It has NEVER left.
Of course all the human emotions were felt, but the Peace was bigger than all of them.
I experienced Satan trying to steal it from me. That's his job, you know...that sinking, sick, desperent, frozen feeling tries to take over.
God always brings to my mind to act as one who has Hope...not as those who have no Hope. Giving thanks in and for all things in this life does guard our hearts with Peace. Can't you just see that? What a picture!
So, DDO's, on this one day set aside for Thanksgiving, I want to encourage each of us to carry Thanksgiving where the 'rubber meets the road' in our daily lives.
I thank God for you allowing me to fill your Inbox full of emails from me. Blessings and love,Mom/Meme/Linda Giving Thanks:Philippians 4:7, "...Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."
November 26, 2009
Count Your Blessings
by Charles R. Swindoll
Psalm 95Sometimes when you don't feel like praying, or you're consumed with needing to speak to the Lord but can't gather the words, try that old standby---count your many blessings, count them one by one. lt's amazing how you can get carried away from worries and woes and self concern when you start naming out loud what you're thankful for. Right away your focus shifts from your needs to the Father's graciousness and love. Try this:LOOK UP . . . thank You, Lord . . .for Your sovereign control over our circumstances for Your holy character in spite of our sinfulness for Your Word that gives us direction for Your grace that removes our guiltLOOK AROUND . . . thank You, Lord . . .for our wonderful country for close family ties for an opportunity to help others for a place to live, clothes to wear, food to eatLOOK WITHIN . . . thank You, Lord . . . for eyes that see the beauty of Your creation for minds that are curious, creative, and competent for memories of pleasures and recent accomplishments for broken dreams and lingering afflictions that humble us for a sense of humor that brings healing and hopeHe is worthy of our highest praise and gratitude. To Him goes all the glory.If you can't pray, make a personalized list of blessings.
Excerpted from Day by Day with Charles Swindoll,
Copyright © 2000 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc.
(Thomas Nelson Publishers).
All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.
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