Thank You

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy

Philippians 1:3-4 

 

We all have those people in our lives who make us smile just by thinking of them.  They remind us of the caring we have for each other and the laughter we share and the weird things we say and do that make us smile.  God brought these people into our lives because He knew we needed them.  God brought these people into our lives be He knew they needed us.  God's good like that.

 

Did you know that God also brings people into our lives that inspire us to be better people?  One of the best compliments anyone can ever receive is to hear these words spoken of them: "Because God brought us together, I am a better person!"  Know anyone who could say that about you?  Know anyone you would say that about?

 

My prayer is that we become the people others will thank God for bringing into their lives.

Appreciation and Appreciated

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.

Philippians 1:3 

 

In this age where everyone is supposed to get a trophy for trying, it's sometimes hard to truly express to someone that they are really appreciated, even if they aren't the best of the best.  Let's face it, when we feel appreciated we are willing to go that extra mile.  But how do we do that without becoming cliche? 

 

There are many ways to show appreciation:

     How about a handwritten note reminding the person that while no one says it, but their hard work has not gone unnoticed and they are appreciated?

 

I have shared this with several people and I think it still holds true, back when the flooding caused so much damage and chaos, the Deputies were working long hours in the heat and were having to listen to people vent their anger about their situation.  And I appreciated being allowed by some of these officers to tag along with them.  But the thing I found to be most meaningful was a relatively small church came to one of the Regional substations with coffee, cold drinks and some food for the Deputies and each one of the paper cups used for the beverages had a handwritten note to the Deputy expressing appreciation (and here's the kicker) written by children.

 

Many months later, the cups have long since gone to the landfill, but several of those messages still have a place in the visor of some of the Deputies.  

 

Let me put it this way, gifts are easy.....expressing appreciation isn't so much, but is worth the effort. 

What I Am Thankful For

Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth!
Worship the Lord with joy!
Enter his presence with joyful singing!
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us and we belong to him;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give him thanks!
Praise his name!
For the Lord is good.
His loyal love endures,
and he is faithful through all generations.

Psalm 100 

 

I am thankful for the opportunity to spend another day with my Bride.

I am thankful for the companionship of Woody.

I am thankful for the peace and quiet.

I am thankful to NOT be on Harbison Blvd this weekend.

I am thankful for those who love me, often in spite of myself.

I am thankful for the opportunity to have a job that I LOVE and for the bosses who let me do it.

I am thankful for God's blessing of having enough to each and enough to share.

I am thankful for elastic waistbands.

I am thankful for those who are protecting me today.

I am thankful for those who God has chosen to bring to mind us to discuss.

I am thankful for YOU!

I am thankful for a church home where the pastors are actually REAL people, without facades?

I am thankful for the chance to take a nap.

I am thankful for the little things like being able to turn on the faucet and have fresh water.

I am thankful for having coffee!  LOTS AND LOTS OF COFFEE!!

I am thankful for the chance to be thankful.

 

What are you thankful for?

Being Thankful for Being Thankful

Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:20

 

What are you thankful for?  What makes you thankful?  Is it your stuff?  Is it your family?  Is it your job? Is it your looks? 

What are you truly thankful for?  As we approach the day we have designated as the day to give thanks (for heavy meals and sports and shopping), take just a moment to actually focus on what you are truly thankful for.

Consider this: 

     1. Breathing

     2. Your ability to read this

     3. Being able to see the sunshine

     4. Knowing that you are loved and cared for.

     5. The ability to LEARN from mistakes.

     6. Being able to enjoy a meal or a dessert (yum)!

     7. How about the ability to be Thankful!

Being thankful is a choice! Being unthankful is also a choice!  Which choice will we make?

Grateful For Those Who Work Behind The Scenes

And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, 

when you did it to one of the least of these 

my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

Matthew 25:40

 We see people in the forefront all the time, but how many times do we even give a thought to the people who work behind the scenes to make things happen.

I was told by a professor in college to make sure you know who helps you to be who you are.  He then shared the story of his own Ethics Professor who was in the middle of a conference in his office when the janitor came in to empty the trash.  The other professors in the conference ignored the janitor and gave him looks of disapproval for interrupting their esteemed colleague. Instead, this esteemed Department Head greeted the janitor by name, inquired about his family, even asking about the janitor's sick child by name.  The other professors were astounded and offended.  

After the janitor completed his task and had gone, the Department Head looked at the rest of the highly educated professors and said, "If you don't know the name of the person who empties your trash, you are overlooking the very people who make your life possible!  What would happen if George didn't come empty my trash twice a week?  What about the cooks and servers in the cafeteria?  You might think them to be beneath you, but if they did not do their jobs, where would you be?  Always be grateful to those who help you be who you are, for without them you would be nothing!"   

Think about the people Jesus took the time to get to know:
     * Tax Collectors
     * Prostitutes
     * Manual Laborers
     * Lepers
     * People with issues
     * And how about the criminal on the cross with Him?

Never forget to be grateful to the people who helped you get where you are and the ones who help you in the seemingly smallest of ways.