but what if I can’t?

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

- 1 Thessalonians 5:18

This one is a hard one.

How do we give thanks for the bad things?

What if i can't?

I have trouble giving thanks for a car that breaks down, or the loss of a friend (I am not putting those in the same category, by the way).

It is sometimes really hard to see, but today’s first song reference is:

Blessings

We pray for blessings

We pray for peace

Comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing, for prosperity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need

Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

And then, on the way to work, I heard this one that I also love:

This is the stuff

I lost my keys in the great unknown
And call me please 'cause I can't find my phone

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

Forty-five in a thirty-five
Sirens and fines while I'm running behind
Whoa

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

To break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world

So today I am thankful for the hard things.

The things that make me sad, the things that hurt, the things that feel like the world is coming down around me.

I am thankful for the trials of this life, and the stuff that drives me crazy.

Have a blessed day!

strength

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.

- Psalm 28:7

How strong are you?

When I asked that question, did you think about physical strength, emotional strength or spiritual strength?

Physically I am not terribly strong.

I would have to say that my emotional strength is lacking a bit too.

But I am strong in my faith.

Today’s song reference:

Strong Tower

You are my strong tower

A shelter over me

Beautiful and mighty

Everlasting king

You are my strong tower

Fortress when I'm weak

Your name is true and holy

And your face is all I see

I  stand strong in Him, He is our strength in everything.

Today I am thankful for the strength that God gives me.  

Have a blessed day!

reckless

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.

- 1 Chronicles 16:34

I have a feeling that November, being the month of thanks, will be filled with song references 😊 . 

I am not sure which song makes me hear this verse more, but I have two choices today:

Forever

Give thanks to the Lord, Our God and King

His love endures forever

For He is good, He is above all things

His love endures forever

Sing praise, sing praise

Second choice:

Reckless Love

Before I spoke a word, You were singing over me

You have been so, so good to me

Before I took a breath, You breathed Your life in me

You have been so, so kind to me

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine

I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down

Coming after me!

Wow, how incredible is His love?

There is absolutely nothing that any of us can do that will make God stop loving us.

Today I am thankful that God loves me.

Have a blessed day!

thanks!

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

- Colossians 3:17

November is set aside as the month for giving thanks.

Many of my FaceBook friends (myself included) have participated in the tradition of “30 days of thankful”, where you post one thing every day for the entire month of November for which you are specifically thankful.

It’s pretty cool to see what people post.

Over the course of the years during Thanksgiving dinners at my house, we have gone around the table and said what we were thankful for, sometimes putting a twist in it by going by the alphabet. (how many things are YOU grateful for that start with the letter X ?!)

All in all, we should be thankful every day.

For everything.

And we should give thanks to God for each and every possible thing in our lives, no matter how big or small.

I saw a sign one day that said “what if we woke up today with only the things we thanked God for yesterday?”

I am thankful for so much, but I will play the November game for fun.

Today, I am thankful for the words God gives me to share with others on in this forum, whether you are reading it via email or on my blog.

Have a blessed day!

Friendly reminder - time change for quite a bit of the US on Saturday night / Sunday morning! 

All Saint's Day

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

- 1 Timothy 2:5-6

I have heard of “All Saint’s Day” since I was a small child, growing up in a family with roots in Catholicism but not being Catholic myself, it didn’t make much sense to me.

Our friend the internet says “All Saints' Day is a solemn holy day of the Catholic Church celebrated annually on November 1. The day is dedicated to the saints of the Church, those recognized in the canon of the saints by the Catholic Church.”

My brother (who was in the military and adopted Catholicism in his late 20’s) wore a medallion that read “Saint Christopher Protect Us”.

Again, our friend the internet tells us that “St. Christopher is viewed as a saint of protection, particularly for protection during travel and long voyages. Statues, medals and pictures of St. Christopher are often placed in vehicles for protection from car accidents. St. Christopher is also the Patron Saint of gardeners, sailors and transportation workers.”

I don’t know about all that, but I do know that for me, there is only One that will protect me, and that, my friends, is all I need to know.

Have a blessed day!

who is behind the mask?

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

- Matthew 7:15

Happy Halloween, ya’all!

Last Friday at our office, our halls were filled with costumes and mask as our associates brought in their children to trick or treat.  

Tonight, many neighborhoods will be filled with similarly costumed characters. (drive CAREFULLY, people!)

According to history, the traditions surrounding Halloween are a hybrid of pagan, Celtic, Catholic and ancient Roman traditions.

It was believed that on this night, the veil between worlds was thinned or lowered, allowing spirits to crossover, and costumes or masks were worn to confuse the spirits as they were returning so that they did not accidentally take the living back with them.  

How many times have we been confused by someone’s mask or costume?

Have you ever encountered someone who looked and acted like a really nice and sweet person, but when you got to know them, you learned that they were not sweet or nice at all?

The Bible tells us to beware of false prophets, people who lie and try to make you believe they are someone they are not.

There is only one true God, and He does not hide behind a mask.

Have a blessed day!

times, they are a-changing

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

- Hebrews 13:8

Technically the first day of fall was September 22^nd this year, but the leaves are just now changing in Northwest Arkansas.

If you live in this area, drive over by the water park in Rogers, there is a row of gorgeous red maples mixed in and it is beautiful.

Change is to be expected.

There are a lot of changes coming in the next few weeks.

Friendly reminder - time change for quite a bit of the US on Saturday night / Sunday morning! 

How you react to change says a lot about your character.

Jesus never changes, no matter what you are going through personally or professionally, He is the one constant, the One you can always count on.

Jesus never changes.

Have a blessed day!