Giving Thanks After Christmas

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year!  I know this blog post is very late, but I just could not skip over writing a Thanksgiving update.  This year we enjoyed yummy food, shared God's goodness with each other, put on a puppet show, played with cousins, played on backhoes, went for tractor rides, played in the snow and ate more yummy food!

Thankful Turkey with wings!

As I look back on the year I realize how much I have to give thanks to God for.  This has been a year that I have seen God's hand in both the good and hard times and for that I am thankful.  We can give thanks to God because he is good, he is our King and he loves us!

Be joyful always...pray continually...give thanks in all circumstances... 1 Thess. 5:16-18

A LIST OF THANKS:

1.  I am thankful for those in my life that pray for our family regularly.

2.  I am thankful for answered prayers!

3.  I am thankful for what God has taught me this year through Henry's health struggles.

4.  I am thankful for Randall Children's Hospital that has cared for Henry when he was in the hospital for RSV in January and also these past few months as we have been working on his food aversion.

5.  I am thankful that Henry is eating, and thriving, and growing.  There are so many moments that I look back over the past few months and see clear answers to prayer and God working in Henry's health.  There is no other explanation I can give than it was GOD's hand at work.  I am thankful for all those who faithfully prayed for Henry's health this year.

Henry enjoying some food!

6.  I am thankful for the van we were able to purchase this year for our family.

7.  I am thankful for those who have encouraged us in ministry.

8.  I am thankful that God is teaching me to trust him with the bills we have accrued this year from Henry's medical and hospital visits.

9.  I am thankful for friends and family who have provided meals for us at different times this year.

10.  I am thankful for (almost) monthly date nights with Tommy.  I am thankful for the continued encouragement I receive from Tommy.  I am thankful for Tommy's artistic creativity that we get to see at home and at work.

11.  I am thankful for our family who has supported us in so many different ways this year.  I am thankful that my boys have so many cousins that live nearby.

12.  I am thankful and excited for my sister who has gotten engaged to Tyson this year.  (And I am thankful I got to meet him a few months ago.)

13.  I am thankful for the opportunities we have had to share Jesus' with our apartment neighbors.  I am thankful for all the neighbor families that came to our summer ice cream party.  I am thankful for the two kids that came to Vacation Bible School.  I am thankful for the opportunity to watch my neighbors kids and bring them a meal when their mom delivered her 4th child.  I am thankful for the neighbor kids who draw me pictures, bake us cookies, sing for me, and wave at me like I am a movie star driving into the apartment complex.  :)

Homemade cookies and sweet little notes from the neighbor kids!

14.  I am thankful for the books that I have read this year that have challenged me in my faith, motherhood and marriage.

15.  I am thankful for my boys and the love they share for each other.  I am thankful that they transitioned to sharing a room so smoothly.  I am thankful for Owen's shepherding care for Henry.  I am thankful for Henry's giggles and desire to be chased around the house.

16.  I am thankful for Fitnessblender.com who helps me stay fit for free!  I am thankful for the opportunity I had to run a 10k with my mom and dad.  I am thankful for the example my parents are in living a healthy life physically (and spiritually).

17.  I am thankful for my accountability partner who checks in with me regularly.

18.  I am thankful that this year God has been teaching me how to rest in Him, because my hope comes from Him.  He alone is my Rock!  He can be trusted at all times!

19.  I am thankful that after over a year and a half of tummy troubles the issue has been resolved.  I am thankful that I can see God's answers to prayer even in tummy troubles.

20.  I am thankful for how being a mom draws me closer to Jesus!

Brothers and Buddies!

Thankful Turkey

Last year we made a thankful tree and added leaves to the tree throughout the month of November.  We took turns at the dinner table sharing what we were thankful for and then I would write them all down on a leaf and add it on the tree.  This year, I used our pumpkins and resources we had on-hand to make a thankful turkey.  (Owen named him Billy the Bird!). Each night this month we plan to add a "thankful" feather to the turkey.  This Thanksgiving turkey is going to become more beautiful and alive after we add our "thankful" feathers to him!  I think the same is true with us, the more we give thanks in all circumstances the more radiant we become in Christ.

How about you? Do you use any visuals, verses or music to direct your heart in giving thanks to Jesus?

Thankful Turkey 2014

THANKSGIVING MEDITATIONS

Happy Thanksgiving!!!  The past two weeks I did a Thanksgiving Bible study and the passages of scripture I have been reading have been wonderful to meditate upon.  I made an extra effort to read them first thing in the morning so that they would be stirring in my heart and mind throughout the day.  Thankfulness is not something that comes naturally to me, so I have been more intentional throughout each part of my day, no matter the circumstance, to be thankful in ALL things.  

If you are looking for passages on Thanksgiving, here is a list of the passage I used from the study 

I did with Good Morning Girls:

1 Chronicles 16:7-36

Psalm 100

Colossians 3:12-17

1 Thessalonians 5:12-18

Hebrews 12:22-29

1 Chronicles 29:10-20

2 Corinthians 4:13-18

Philippians 4:4-9

Psalm 95

2 Corinthians 9:9-15

A few notes I wrote down from my scripture meditations:

•  I am much more thankful when I am in the Word.  Also, when I find myself in a situation where I have a bad heart attitude or I am struggling to be content, I stop and try to list things I am thankful for in that situation.
• "Be thankful in ALL circumstances."  This is so hard for me.  I am learning that thankfulness is a choice and a commitment I have to make.
• "When we’re really not feeling all that thankful, what if - in obedience - we thanked Him based on what we know to be true?"  (www.goodmorninggirls.org)
• "When we’ve been transformed by Jesus, being thankful goes far beyond the momentary “good” feelings that come when things go our way.  A true, consistent heart of thankfulness acknowledges a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and worships God acceptably with reverence and awe (Hebrews 12:28), even when life gets messy."  (www.goodmorninggirls.org)
• When I am thankful in ALL circumstances, it becomes less about me and more about Jesus!
•  I am thankful that when my heart is overwhelmed God is my mighty rock, my refuge.  I can trust in Him at all times, I can pour out my heart to Him because he is my refuge.
• I am thankful that my God is my Rock and King over all.  I am thankful that there is no corner of the universe that is not in his hand. I am thankful that he is maker and creator of all.
• I really liked what my bible notes had to say for 2 Corinthians 9:15, "God is the first giver, he first selflessly gives himself to us in the person of his Son, and all true Christian giving is our response of gratitude for this gift that is beyond description." May I be radiant for Christ, offering him thank offerings and living a life that points to Him.
• "Do we often think of all of God's mercies and graces in our lives?  Is his praise often on our lips?  This is a sign of thankful hearts!"  (www.goodmorninggirls.org)

Give Thanks to Jesus!

I can hardly believe it is almost Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is my favorite Holiday of the year. I enjoy the smell of yummy food, catching up with family & friends, and enjoying a fun day together. Most of all, I enjoy hearing what the Lord has done in each person's life and what they are thankful to Jesus for. I have so many things to give thanks to Jesus for in my life.

This week I have been thinking about the story of the 10 lepers from Luke 17:11-19. Jesus cured 10 lepers from their disease but only ONE returned to give thanks to Jesus. This lone, now cleansed leper couldn’t get back to Jesus fast enough. Luke tells us, “When he saw he was cleansed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw Himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him” (v. 15-16). Wow! This guy was excited! When he finally reached Jesus, he fell on his face and thanked Him in a loud voice. Considering what Jesus had done, nothing was more important than thanking and praising Him in worship. He more than likely told everyone he knew the rest of his life what Jesus had done for him.

Our sin is very similar to leprosy. It too is a terrible disease. It begins in the soul, eating away our bodies from the inside out. It eventually takes away life itself. Every one of us inherited this deadly and contagious disease from our parents. Sin separates us from God. We are no different from those ten lepers. By our bad thoughts, hurtful words, and self-centered behavior, we prove again and again that we are unclean. Being thoroughly infected with sin, we also realize that we can do nothing to heal ourselves. So what did Jesus do? He took our or sins upon Himself. Scripture says that, “Jesus was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him” (Isaiah 53:5). Just like the leper, I need to thank Jesus for forgiving me of my sin and share with everyone I meet that he has cleansed me from my incurable disease (sin)!

Thank you Jesus for cleansing me of my sin. Let me speak it, sing it and live it. I want to be a visible example of one who you have healed from my sin. Amen!