Friday, December 7, 2012

Day 37

A few days ago (on Day 35), I mentioned that my boys used their imaginations to tranform an ordinary box into a bed, chair, campsite and tent.  I love to listen to them playing... to hear the conversations they have as their cars talk and become real.  Our imaginations are truly a gift from God.

I had a pretty vivid imagination too when I was little.  Have any of you ever had an imaginary friend?  Well I did and her name was… drum roll please… Maryawana.  Now let me tell you a little bit about Maryawana.  I used to pretend to teach school in our sunroom and Maryawana was my best student.  She always had the right answer and I would call on her often.  One afternoon, my mom called me into the kitchen and asked me what I was doing.  I told her I was playing school and she asked me who I was teaching.  I told her Maryawana.  Of course, I was ready to resume my teaching responsibilities after I answered her questions.  But no, she was not finished with me yet.  Instead of telling me to go back to my teaching, my mom told me, much to my despair, that I had to change Maryawana’s name.  Let me tell you, I was not happy about this at all.  I mean, Maryawana was my best student and there was no way I could change her name!  My mom was not buying into my argument, so I reluctantly agreed to change her name… at least when my mom was around.

Maryawana was invisible, but to me she was real (even after I had to change her name).  She interacted with me and enabled me to fill my days with aspirations of being a teacher. 

I ran across an interesting verse that ties into being invisible.  Hebrews 11:27 in The Amplified Bible says:  [Motivated] by faith he left Egypt behind him, being unawed and undismayed by the wrath of the king; for he never flinched but held staunchly to his purpose and endured steadfastly as one who gazed on Him Who is invisible. 

This verse is talking about Moses and his amazing faith in God.  Moses had just killed an Egyptian that was beating a Hebrew and Pharaoh was now out to kill Moses.  So, Moses fled... and trusted that God would work out the details behind the scenes.  Don't you love the words unawed, undismayed, held staunchly, and endured steadfastly?  Moses was described like this becaues He focused his thoughts on God Who is invisible.  Don't you want to be like that?  I wonder if Moses was a thankful guy and if that helped him during his time in the desert...

While we can't see God because He's invisible, we know He is real, just like Moses knew He was real.  We believe.  And if we follow Moses' example, we can choose to be thankful even when faced with tough circumstances.  How?  By choosing to believe Jeremiah 29:11-14:  "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.  I will be found by you," declares the Lord. 

Some great promises from God to help us "give thanks in all circumstances," (1 Thessalonians 5:18) don't you agree?  I'm so thankful the Bible is filled with examples that show us how to choose thanksgiving... even in the midst of trials that come our way. 

Tonight, I am thankful for...

1.  Sound of raindrops hitting the house
2.  A house that keeps us dry
3.  Power of prayer
4.  Freedom to pray continually
5.  Raindrops clinging to naked tree branches... that looked just like diamonds on a tennis bracelet... stunning!
6.  Playing Go Fish
7.  Hubby feeling better
8.  Getting a Christmas present almost finished
9.  Windshield wipers
10.  My son's delight over getting to use his umbrella
11.  Family movie night
12.  Getting some of my house clean
13.  Sons straightening up their rooms... they did a fantastic job!
14.  Meditating on scripture
15.  God being so good

Here's to 10,000 reasons... Only 6,025 to go...

12 comments:

  1. I am thankful for
    1. Time with my family
    2. For Alicia and Megan feeling better
    3. Getting a chance to make chocolate chip cookies with my daughter
    4. Answered Prayer
    5. The faithfulness of God
    6. This time of the year
    7. Getting tickets to a U of L Basketball Game
    8. Getting a chance to preach on Mary next Sunday

    ReplyDelete
  2. 1. The 3 minutes I had to myself this morning, all alone, with nothing but the tree lights on.
    2. Going to the movies as a family last night.
    3. The power of a great story.
    4. Hearing giggles from little first grade girls yesterday.
    5. Being able to provide for one of my students the support they are not getting at home that also gives me a chance to get to know this shy little girl.
    6. The sweet arms around me right now of my own little girl.
    7. My daughter's willingness to join in and participate in any activity that sparks her interest.
    8. Being on that same wavelength as my friend at work where we can just look at the other and know what they are thinking.
    9. Buying gifts for others.
    10. Coffee. Warm, sweet, delicious, coffee. Coffee, coffee, coffee!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am thankful for
    1. The house smelling of freshly baked cookies.
    2. Taking a break from baking and going out to eat with my
    granddaughter. (Even though it was Mc Donald's.)
    3. My granddaughter talking about Christmas over lunch
    and a man sitting next to us enjoying her conversation.
    4. My granddaughter being good so I could get ready for my
    party.
    5. Being able to sit down and read for 15 minutes before the
    party started.
    6. A great group of kids shopping for their Angels and
    enjoying it.
    7. Good fellowship after the party.
    8. That it didn"t take as long to clean up after the party
    as usual.
    9. My husband slicing the ham,cutting the buns,and cleaning
    the floors to help me out.
    10. That the party is over.


    ReplyDelete
  4. I am thankful for:
    1. Getting almost all of the printing done for the Clubhouse meeting this week
    2. That my sister's in town
    3. Lots of errands finished last time
    4. Alone time with SB while we ran errands

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am thankful for:
    1. rising early to bid farewell to girls taking the ACT this am
    2. that the ACT is over!
    3. a fun lunch
    4. being able to laugh with my husband while he wraps two presents
    5. a dry house on a wet day

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am thankful for
    1. My knee holding up so I could get a run in today
    2. Family Movie Nights
    3. Prayer times with the kids
    4. Ideas for Christmas gifts
    5. God being so amazing and providing so many blessings
    6. Pictures to remember some great memories
    7. Verses that make truth come alive

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thankful for:

    1. Rachel's love of swimming, even though that means weekend of endless volunteer work! :)
    2. Friends made thru my girls' sports teams.
    3. The Christmas concert with my parents.
    4. Cathy's brother's wish to be baptized!
    5. Mild temps.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AmandaL .
    I'm thankful for the rain.
    I'm thankful for having family over.
    I'm thankful for Steve's white chilli.
    I'm thankful for baking cookies.
    I'm thankful for a cleaner house.

    ReplyDelete
  9. 1. For Christmas shopping with my husband
    2. For my girls getting to babysit
    3. For buying a bag full of stuff(twice actually over this past week) for only $3 and change
    4. For clean sheets
    5. For this blog which makes me think

    LisaD

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am thankful for...
    1. Catch up time with a dear friend
    2. Waiting for a new baby boy to arrive ad the miracle that he is
    3. The dancing of 2 children
    4. Krazy glue
    5. Being able to help out a neighbor that helps my family out so often
    6. Laughter
    7. Peanut butter sandwiches
    8. Making cookies as a family
    9. Advent calendars that bring such joy
    10. Relaxation time

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am thankful for...(part 2)
    1. Much needed conversation
    2. The love of friendship
    3. God's ability to reveal himself so clearly
    4. Seeing God's word active and alive
    5. Being blown away by God
    6. For gifts that get "opened" at just the perfect time
    7. God hearing my cries
    8. God's plan for me and family...whatever that is
    9. Not being invisible to God
    10. God's perfect and divine timing that is so much better than my timing

    ReplyDelete
  12. 1. Full night's sleep
    2. Hard working coworkers
    3. Disney movies
    4. Coloring books
    5. Fun girls night in with Bekah

    ReplyDelete