Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Day 28

We officially hit 3,000 reasons for giving thanks today!  How exciting!  Your lists inspire me to be thankful.  This journey is so much more fun because I get to share it with you.  I hung the 3,000 milestone ornament on the Thankfulness Tree, which is now located behind our nativity scene.  I thought it was a fitting spot for the tree since Jesus' birth is the beginning of our salvation stories.  Here's the latest picture of our tree:



I had plans today.  (Notice the word "had"... it will clue you in to what's coming.)  I was super excited about these plans.  And this morning as I was getting the boys ready for school, God gently reminded me that I needed to cancel my plans.  (Ah, the "had").  I was not happy about this, but I knew He was right.  So, I made a phone call to cancel them... and we were both super bummed.  But, we did get to chat on the phone (which really did help).  And we both knew that the decision to cancel truly was the right thing to do.  But it sure did stink!

When I first realized that I had to cancel my plans, I was so frustrated.  And my poor boys got the brunt of some of my frustration since they were not being obedient.  It was a rough morning!  I'm so thankful that we pray in the car each morning and that I was able to apologize for my behavior to both God and my boys.  It feels great to know that I'm forgiven!

If I would have chosen to be thankful for God's wisdom up front, instead of choosing frustration... maybe I would have been more patient with the boys.  Maybe the morning woulda been smoother.  Thankfulness can really make a difference in my attitude.  It's just taking some time for me to make "giving thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:18) my FIRST reaction.  Can any of you relate?

Psalm 50:23 puts an interesting spin on thankfulness:  He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.

Have you ever thought about how thanking God in all circumstances is a sacrifice?  And not only is it a sacrifice, it honors God too!  God recognizes that thanksgiving can be difficult... that thanksgiving can be a sacrifice.  And when we choose to sacrifice thank offerings to God, it shows that we are treating God with respect or reverence (1).  Pretty amazing stuff to think about!  I'm so glad that God understands that it's hard to give thanks sometimes and that He recognizes that it can be a sacrifice.  Aren't you? 

God is so amazing!  His love for us never fails.  He never leaves us or forsakes us.  We truly are blessed.  Thanks for sacrificing thank offerings with me during this experiment!

Tonight, I am thankful for...

1.  God's wisdom... even when I don't like the fact that it means canceling my plans
2.  Getting my grocery shopping done for the weekend
3.  Listening to my seven year old praise God tonight, singing at the top of his lungs without any reservation
4.  Two new Christmas magazines waiting to be read
5.  Having my parents over for dinner and them joining us for worship tonight
6.  My mom helping clean up after dinner so we wouldn't be late for worship
7.  Getting my first Christmas card today and the creative efforts that went into making the letter one of clever humor
8.  Creative problem solving with my friend and the Excel spreadsheet that laid out a potential solution
9.  God knowing that sometimes thanksgiving really is a sacrifice

Here's to 10,000 reasons... Only 6,951 to go...

(1)  The Life Application Study Bible, New International Version. (1991). Definition of honor (p. 2463).  Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

15 comments:

  1. I am thankful for ...
    1. The sleep I did get last night even if not much
    2. The smiles given to me by the 10 week old that didn't seem to want or need sleep like his momma
    3. Strength that only came from God to provide for all my family's needs today
    4. The ability to walk up and down steps as many times as I need to
    5. Coffee in the morning and coffee in the afternoon
    6. A new matching game that kept my 2 year old entertained for an hour
    7. A friend calling to encourage me today....which was needed more than they knew
    8. The uplifting atmosphere of Christmas music and teaching my 2 year old new songs
    9. Hearing my 2 year old sing "jingle bells
    10. The request to sing "Jesus loves me" at least 20 times today
    11. Being thanked by my 2 year old for "washing her clothes"
    12. A yummy crockpot dinner
    13. God's patience with me
    14. Eskimo kisses with kiddos that I never want to end
    15. Quiet time with God

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  2. I am thankful for:
    1. getting part of my house cleaned tonight.
    2. hearing the ways God is behind the scenes in the lives of other people.
    3. being able to find an special ornament for a friend.
    4. seeing the joy on my friend's face when she got the ornament.
    5. cell phones so I can call someone when I am lost while using a stinking GPS.
    6. God's wisdom in answering a question my child asked.
    7. the flexibility to actively participate at my children's school.
    8. the principal at my children's school.
    9. the grace and forgiveness my boss extends when I goof up at work.
    10. snuggling with my kids. That never gets old.

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  3. I am thankful for
    (1) Listening to Christmas music at
    breakfast.
    (2) Watching my granddaughter play and put her dolls to bed.
    (3) Seeing how excited my granddaughter is to turn on the
    tree.
    (4) Going to my daughters to eat.
    (5) Going to worship with my daughters family.
    (6) Having grandsons ride with us to church.
    (7) Coming home and watching a Christmas show with my
    husband.

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  4. I am thankful for:
    1. The skills I learned in an old corporate job, a job I didn't care for, that benefitted the ministry of Christ today!
    2. The talents of photography shared with my family by a dear friend.
    3. The evolution of picture taking - no more film developing, and waiting to see if the picture was any good. Do you remember, "negatives"?
    4. An amazing year for our family.
    5. The sound of thousands of birds chirping in my backyard as they swarmed over every tree,
    6. Being able to watch the swarms of migrating birds make patterns in the sky as they moved and changed directions.
    7. The great childcare provided for our Bible study.
    8. Women who make Bible study a priority.
    9. Rejoicing with my Accountability partners
    10. and for crying with them as we share one another's burdens
    11. my daughter's humorous story telling
    12. a great C-group for my daughter
    13. cadets inviting my son to church with them
    14. pretty Christmas wrapping paper
    15.the arrival of the Ball family Christmas card!

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  5. I am thankful for -
    The snooze button on cold mornings like today.
    Eden's never fails happy morning attitude :-)
    Oatmeal with currants and honey
    My Dad and Sharon's happy marriage, who knew you could find true love at 70
    Facebook, so I can keep connected to my Dad while he's being a snowbird
    Old girlfriends I've reconnected with because of FB
    My cozy home
    Elf the musical soundtrack
    Crockpot dinners
    The look of relief and relax wash over my husbands face when he comes home from a long day on a very physical job.
    The enjoyment my husband gets watching UK basketball.
    Raspberries with one white chocolate chip hidden inside :-0
    Cocoa scented lotion
    A wonderful foot rub even if I did have to pay the rubb'er - she IS raising money for a youth project.
    Giggles
    Tickle fights
    Oliver the G-pig
    All the pictures I have taken over the years.
    Sharpie pens
    Colby Calliet's Christmas in the Sand CD

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That was 21 things oops should have numbered that, but I was on a roll :-)

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    2. You make me smile! No worries at all! That's why I have an Excel spreadsheet that tracks numbers for me... another thing to add to my own thankful list!

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  6. 1. For my sweet daughter who turned 9 today. (She truly is a wonderful creation of God's. She teaches me soooo much.)
    2. For pink cupcakes for the birthday
    3. For the HUGE hug I got when she opened her present
    4. For my parents
    5. For a goofy pet that makes me laugh

    LisaD

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  7. I have to add one more
    For lunch with a truly remarkable lady today
    Oh and just one more
    For catching up at a lunch with an old friend yesterday

    LisaD

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  8. Here's a list from our bible study this morning:
    1. God's grace
    2. God's forgiveness and mercy
    3. God's direction and discernment
    4. God's sovereign will and plan
    5. a gift from a friend
    6. surviving cancer
    7. husband's life
    8. happy children
    9. a community of caring parents
    10. stopping to help someone in need
    11. for fleece
    12. lukewarm showers
    13. indoor plumbing
    14. my house to live in
    15. furniture
    16. the sound of birds
    17. turkey dinner
    18. son seeing two birds in a tree outside his window and recognizing God in them
    19. the shade of trees on a hot day
    20. when our children recognize the beauty God created
    21. the big harvest moon last night
    22. moon pies
    23. spontanaity
    24. the song, "Middle of the Miracle"
    25. Christmas caroling

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  9. I am thankful for:
    1. honest women sharing real life together
    2. encouragement and prayer
    3. the brave women I know
    4. the joy that reeses cookies bring to all
    5. watching students extend themselves for a school assignment
    6. the creativity in the Shakespeare acts I saw this evening
    7. Stu's crazy costume closet that clothed some of these Shakespearian actors and actresses
    8. the cool night air
    9. a bright orange VW van
    10. finding gingerbread oreos for someone who really likes them!

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  10. AmandaL.
    I'm thankful for someone holding open the door for me.
    I'm thankful for being courage .
    I'm thankful for being helpful.
    I'm thankful for being brave in bible study today.
    I'm thankful for brave study.

    ReplyDelete
  11. 1. Foam cups and nugget ice.
    2. Duck Dynasty.
    3. My comfy bed.
    4. Heated seats in the car.
    5. Soft, snugly blankets.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thankful for
    Duck Dynasty - a show with humor and morals
    The blessings of hard work
    Unexpected resources
    Margin in the family budget
    A wife that is good with the budget

    ReplyDelete
  13. 1. God sending his only son for my sins
    2. Hugs
    3. Zip lining
    4. Trust in Christ
    5. Change of attitude from participating in the Thankfulness Experiment

    ReplyDelete