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Respite For the Weary
As we are fast approaching the holiday season, I almost feel the "intensity knob" turn up a notch or two in my thoughts and actions. My to-do list lengthens, and my breathing pattern shortens. I have to remind myself to slow down, and even sit down just for a moment, in order to remember the WHY of the season.So...I stop...and I think...about Thanksgiving:
Because I am a "lover of words", I initially observe thatThanksgiving is not only a noun, being a national holiday, but it's also an action verb:thanks-giving. Hmmm...a question:"Am I living out the name of this holiday?"
To answer this convicting question, I put down my to-do list, and a new-heart list begins:
Thanks Giving to God. With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the Lord; and in the midst of many I will praise Him. (Psalm 109: 30)
1. Thank You, God, for your relentless pursuing love.
2. Thank You, God, for your constant abiding presence.
3. Thank You, God, for your daily and eternal hope....on and on and on.
(A helpful hint: if you choose to make a thanks-giving list, start with God's intangible blessings. These spiritual blessings are the true and never changing reflections of His vast goodness.)
Thanks Giving to Man. I...do not cease giving thanks for you...(Eph 1:16).
I ask myself, "Who, this season, has blessed me with her joyful spirit, her words of wisdom, or her steadfast faith?" Three people enter my mind immediately; I smile with gratitude, and write their names on the tablet of my heart.
Who has blessed you? Join me, and let's put our thankful hearts into action:
1. Purchase a small set of thank you notes at the grocery or drug store.
2. Write 3 people, simply thanking them for the way they have blessed you in this season of life.
3. Address it, stamp it, and mail it...this week.
Realize that writing a "Thanks Giving Note"just may be the sweet words your loved one needs to hear in order to change his or her mindset this holiday.Slow down my friend, and even sit down for a moment, catch your breath, and become a catalyst of Thanks-giving this season.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples. Psalm 105:1
The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you; for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:9-10
Dear Lord,
May you be our only stronghold! Everything else fails! Help us to release our tight grip on what we think is best and then make a deliberate choice to hold onto your trustworthy promises, especially in difficult times. Cause us to cling to you with hope, both for the present moment and for the future. In Jesus' Name, Amen.