The Blogger Herself

The Blogger Herself

Monday, November 25, 2013

When is Thanksgiving? Doing something different this year

I have an ugly confession to make. I have not been very thankful the last couple weeks as Thanksgiving is approaching this Thursday. I don't really have a legitimate excuse. I am blessed just as I have been blessed since before I was born. Those of you who have read my blog for any length of time know that for the last several years I have. A Thanksgiving 100 list. As much as I've enjoyed this the last few years, it has become more important to me to be thankful not only by claiming a list of things I'm thankful for, but it is truly showed this and live it out. Rather than making a list this year I want to just share some brief reflections.
I'm thankful for continual forgiveness when I fail... If we confess our sin he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteous first John 1:9
I'm thankful for and unmovable unshakable love. Though the mountains be shaken and the heels the removed my unfailing love and my covenant of blessing will not be removed from you. Isaiah 54: 10
I'm thankful for provisions only God can provide: Philippians 4:19 and my God will supply all my needs according the great riches of Christ in Christ Jesus.
I'm thankful for my family and friends: God always provides people I need at the time when I need them. I think my God upon every remembrance of you. Philippians 1:3
I am thankful for my mom's stable health…
I'm thankful that even when I have down weeks like I have recently, and I'm not vocally thankful in my words are my attitude that God's still blesses me with .underserved gifts.
I'm thankful for my dog Franklin.
I'm thankful that I live in the United States of America, even when almost daily there is something that people complain about with regard to the country.
I'm thankful for reconciliation of broken relationships that is ongoing.
I'm thankful for the privilege of the week participating corporate worship.
I am thankful for modern medicine and for Sarah Cannon research Institute in Nashville Tennessee
I am thankful for the saving of the unborn babies in 2013
I'm thankful for caring church.
I'm thankful for those who participate on my blog even when my post are sporadic.
I'm thankful for nonjudgmental people in the judgmental world.
I'm thankful for modern technology.
I'm thankful for the health issues that I don't have to endure.
I'm thankful for the people who care for me on a weekly basis.
I'm thankful for the strength of power to do things through Christ that I could have never done on my own.
I'm thankful for simple joys in life, that I'm often tempted to take for granted.
Lastly but not least I'm thankful because of Christ always have and will hope no matter how dark things may look.
I'm thankful that both in and out of season there is always reason to be thankful.

In Ephesians Christians are commanded to be thankful regardless of season or circumstance. For those who has experienced losses, trials and continuous difficulties this may seen unfair or unreasonable, however If. We know Christ as our personal Savior is not an unreasonable demand. In fact, any other response is nothing short of ridiculous. I am thankful that God is patient and compassionate when his children struggle with the attitude of gratitude in all our days. Let's follow the example of Christ himself, and ask him to fill our hearts with the gratitude, that He is is most deserving of! If like me you find yourself in a rut and struggling to live out gratitude everyday, then this is something we need to confess, and commit to prayer, and ask the Lord for his perspective and His joy. Over the last month, there has been a practice on social media to list something you are thankful for every day for one month. While I know this is a fun game that I have participated in the past, this really isn't any different from what we as Christians are called todo on a daily basis only we do it more with our hearts and our words instead of simply posting it as our Facebook status. I hope that you and your family have a delightful Thanksgiving. Thank you for visiting please feel free to leave a few reasons you are thankful in the comments section of this blog. If you are more private in your gratitude, I respect that. I would encourage you to take inventory of what you are thankful for not only during the holiday season, but as a regular practice in your life. note I felt it was important enough to dictate this post, I'm using voice activated software so if you find uncorrected mistakes that is why. Please do your best to decipher the and send it words :-)  I will visit your blogs soon.

4 comments:

Jennifer Dougan said...

TJ,

Thank you for your honesty here. I too have been working hard to learn and relearn the attitude of choosing to give thanks, no matter what; choosing to look for ways God is at work, and to trust him that he will use "even this or that."

Thanks for stopping by my blog tonight. It was fun to hear from you this evening.

Writing is fun, rewarding, hard work, and worth it, huh? Words are my art and passion too, both the the written and spoken word. Have you found some good books out there that have been helpful in your writing this year? I am enjoying learning too, and have appreciated material by Anne Lamotte, Ann Voskamp, S. King's book on writing (although I'm not normally a S. King fan, but he knows the writing craft), Annie Dillard, the She Speaks team, and more.

May God just guide and use your writing in amazing ways, for his glory, TJ! :)

Have a lovely Thanksgiving.
Jennifer Dougan
www.jenniferdougan.com

Beth said...

A very honest post. I know that I have so many things to be thankful for.

Jennifer Dougan said...

Hi TJ,

Thanks for your comment on my post "Counting Gifts and She Speaks 2011 Conference: post. I would love to get to know you more. Email is a better way. I'll track down your email...

Jennifer Dougan
www.jenniferdougan.com

Dee said...

I am THANKFUL to be able to be THANKFUL. To be blessed to have God in my life and good blogger friends. :)