THE GRAND FINALE
Tuesday, September 30, Day 30
The last day of TI30 and even though I didn't have time to post (I mean, my parents were coming the next day and my house was nowhere near being ready for them not to mention I had NO groceries and also need to pick up some birthday items for a certain someone) I definitely reflected over the past month. I'm SO, SO, SO glad that I took the time to do Thankful in 30. I've learned that some days, life will abound with things to be grateful for and God is good and you really feel that He's on the throne and you just want to say 'thank you' to everyone you meet everywhere you go. But other days, life is lemons and it seems impossible to find the water and sugar to make the lemonade (aka it seems impossible to find even the smallest thing to be thankful for).
Regardless of whether the day is good or bad, a life of thankfulness is a choice. As I'm learning with a lot feelings. But the 2 that I am really working on are joy and gratitude. A life of joy is a choice-I must make the choice to live in joy every day. I must make the choice to be thankful-for whatever God has blessed me with-every day. The gifts of breath and life are the very least that I can be thankful for-not to mention all the things above and beyond those that God grants me. And so, as I conclude my month of TI30, while I may not continue to physically write 3 things each day that I'm grateful for, I will attempt to continue this attitude of gratitude well into the future.
1. I am thankful to the Lord for the gift of each new day, for the life and breath He provides me, for the opportunity I am given to live for His glory every day. While I haven't been very faithful to taking advantage of those opportunities in the past, I really have a desire to do so from here on out. I know that each day that God leaves me on His earth contains a task for me to complete while I'm here.
2. However, to know the task I am to complete for God, I must know Him. And so, I am thankful for yet another chance to restore my relationship with Him. I have a lot of personal issues to work through but I can't forget that my relationship with Him is just that-me & Him. Noone else. And so, Lord, help me to trust You-even when I don't want to, even with things I want to fix myself. You are in control and I am not the general manager of the universe. (But if you ever have a vacancy, let me know. I'd love to apply!)
3. Lastly, I'm so, so, so thankful for the fabulous family, friends, and boyfriend that surround me each day. From church, to work, to home (TN, NC, VA, TX, GA, etc.), I am definitely blessed and consider myself favored by God for such great gifts of friendship and family. He is so good to me even though I am EXTREMELY undeserving. I only pray I can be as much of a blessing to all of my loved ones as they are to me.
And with that, TI30 is finished.
Now it's your turn to count your blessings & name them one by one...
Blessings innumerable,
B
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Saturday, October 4, 2008
A Re-Cap: Part IV
Monday, September 29, Day 29
1. I'm oh-so-thankful for birthdayweek month. It excuses me from eating anything healthy and I don't feel quite as bad for not working out.
(At the time I'm writing this, I really don't remember all that much about Monday. But I'm trying here, folks.)
2. I'm very thankful for my car. Since I mailed off my car payment Monday, it reminded me to not resent writing that check out quite as much if I remained thankful for the ability to even have that car. I'm truly blessed.
3. A clean house is definitely something I'm thankful for. With Mom, Dad, Grandmother, & Z coming, and with having been so out of it last week, I'm glad I even have the energy to clean. It will be so nice to sit back and relax in a clean house.
Blessings,
B
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
1. I'm oh-so-thankful for birthday
(At the time I'm writing this, I really don't remember all that much about Monday. But I'm trying here, folks.)
2. I'm very thankful for my car. Since I mailed off my car payment Monday, it reminded me to not resent writing that check out quite as much if I remained thankful for the ability to even have that car. I'm truly blessed.
3. A clean house is definitely something I'm thankful for. With Mom, Dad, Grandmother, & Z coming, and with having been so out of it last week, I'm glad I even have the energy to clean. It will be so nice to sit back and relax in a clean house.
Blessings,
B
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
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I apologize now for the varying text sizes & fonts. I'm not sure how to fix it as I've tried all I can but please keep reading. I'll try to keep working on it. Thanks!
A Re-Cap: Part III
Sunday, September 28, Day 281. I'm VERY thankful for good hair days. My family is obsessed with taking pictures at any major family function any time more than 2 of us are together. Several of us together at Grandmother's for the weekend=PHOTO SHOOT. So I'm glad that sometimes, my hair occasionally decides to do what it's supposed to.
2. The past few weeks have been so abnormal with traveling so much and being sick, I haven't exactly been the model Christian when it comes to keeping in touch with God. Have I felt bad about it? Oh yeah. Have I felt bad enough about it to take action? Apparently not. But that's when I'm reminded that I serve such an awesome God. He gives us weekly opportunities to worship Him with fellow believers. Sunday, sitting in the worship service at First Baptist Church of Henderson, Texas, I was slapped across the face with this truth that I've heard 1,000 times: "When you feel that God is distant, it is not Him who has moved." And so, it's time for me to take the plunge. Either get with it or get out. There's not room or time for me to keep trying to live a Christian lifestyle that is little more than just moral & ethical. I can't keep equating church work with loving God. And just because I'm serving Him doesn't mean I know Him. So here I go again, trying to talk to and hear from Him more than doing for Him.
Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' ~Matthew 7:21-23
3. I'm so thankful for protection even when I'm a klutz. I fell carrying some items from Grandmother's house to my car and went down HARD. I busted both knees-bad bruise on the left, big scrape on the right-and hit my hands and elbows fairly hard. Thankfully, nothing major. Just soreness and pain-ALL OVER MY BODY-the next day. :) But no broken bones. YAY!
Blessings,
BGive thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
2. The past few weeks have been so abnormal with traveling so much and being sick, I haven't exactly been the model Christian when it comes to keeping in touch with God. Have I felt bad about it? Oh yeah. Have I felt bad enough about it to take action? Apparently not. But that's when I'm reminded that I serve such an awesome God. He gives us weekly opportunities to worship Him with fellow believers. Sunday, sitting in the worship service at First Baptist Church of Henderson, Texas, I was slapped across the face with this truth that I've heard 1,000 times: "When you feel that God is distant, it is not Him who has moved." And so, it's time for me to take the plunge. Either get with it or get out. There's not room or time for me to keep trying to live a Christian lifestyle that is little more than just moral & ethical. I can't keep equating church work with loving God. And just because I'm serving Him doesn't mean I know Him. So here I go again, trying to talk to and hear from Him more than doing for Him.
Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' ~Matthew 7:21-23
3. I'm so thankful for protection even when I'm a klutz. I fell carrying some items from Grandmother's house to my car and went down HARD. I busted both knees-bad bruise on the left, big scrape on the right-and hit my hands and elbows fairly hard. Thankfully, nothing major. Just soreness and pain-ALL OVER MY BODY-the next day. :) But no broken bones. YAY!
Blessings,
BGive thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
A Re-Cap: Part II
Saturday, September 27, Day 27
1. I am SO thankful for home cooking. Since I live alone, I don't take time very often to cook "good" meals for myself. Most of the time, I'm eating nachos or a bowl of cereal for dinner. But being at Grandmother's with Mom & Dad (& aunt & cousin) proved to be an occasion to cook. Not surprisingly, Grandmother prepared several meals before any of us arrived and boy, did we eat well!?! We had mock lasanga, chicken casserole, ham, roast & potatoes & carrots, hashbrown casserole, broccoli, green peas, chile pie, pound cake, chocolate pie, cherry cobbler......SO GOOD! Do I have to go home to my cereal & nachos?
2. I'm thankful for chairs! I know it sounds crazy but here's the short version of a LONG story...
When I graduated from college, I moved into my first place-a duplex in a quiet subdivision in Cleveland. Since I had basically no living/dining furniture, my parents and I shopped around at several local antique stores during one of their visits one weekend. At my favorite store, I purchased a small cabinet (that I planned to convert into a kitchen island), a Bentwood rocker (that I ADORE-only $30) and a wooden dining table (with ugly metal chairs-$80). I ended up selling the ugly chairs to another antique store-recooping a bit of the money-and was left with this beautiful (to me) rectangular oak table with white legs. Since that time (May 2006), I've been on the hunt for the perfect chairs to go with the table. I've considered many different kinds and have actually found some that I liked but it was usually that they were far too expensive or if the price was right, the chairs were UGLY!
Fast forward to a couple weeks ago...Dad and I were talking one night and he mentioned that his church had ordered new chairs for their fellowship hall and were also replacing the wooden, slatted, ladder-style chairs in several of their Sunday School rooms as well as their library. I was semi-kidding when I told him to save 6 for me but he did. And he brought them to me when he & mom came down to visit this week. I had a little doubt about the wood of the chairs matching the wood of the table but I have to say, when I got them home, they looked FANTASTIC! I love them. The woods match almost perfectly and they really complete the dining look in my home much better than the padded metal chairs I had borrowed from the church. Now I just need to find cushions and perhaps placemats and then everything really will be complete. (Granted, that task could take me equally as long-over 2 years-but still...)
So yeah, I'm so thankful for chairs.
3. This sounds crazy but I'm very thankful for caffeine. Talk about having the WORST headache. I definitely did today until I got some Coke Zero in me. I guess I've become a little addicted since I drink a cup of coffee every morning at work and Saturdays are hard if I don't have something with caffeine before noon. I'm very thankful for Coke Zero and the power it has to soothe my headaches. :)
Blessings,
B
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
1. I am SO thankful for home cooking. Since I live alone, I don't take time very often to cook "good" meals for myself. Most of the time, I'm eating nachos or a bowl of cereal for dinner. But being at Grandmother's with Mom & Dad (& aunt & cousin) proved to be an occasion to cook. Not surprisingly, Grandmother prepared several meals before any of us arrived and boy, did we eat well!?! We had mock lasanga, chicken casserole, ham, roast & potatoes & carrots, hashbrown casserole, broccoli, green peas, chile pie, pound cake, chocolate pie, cherry cobbler......SO GOOD! Do I have to go home to my cereal & nachos?
2. I'm thankful for chairs! I know it sounds crazy but here's the short version of a LONG story...
When I graduated from college, I moved into my first place-a duplex in a quiet subdivision in Cleveland. Since I had basically no living/dining furniture, my parents and I shopped around at several local antique stores during one of their visits one weekend. At my favorite store, I purchased a small cabinet (that I planned to convert into a kitchen island), a Bentwood rocker (that I ADORE-only $30) and a wooden dining table (with ugly metal chairs-$80). I ended up selling the ugly chairs to another antique store-recooping a bit of the money-and was left with this beautiful (to me) rectangular oak table with white legs. Since that time (May 2006), I've been on the hunt for the perfect chairs to go with the table. I've considered many different kinds and have actually found some that I liked but it was usually that they were far too expensive or if the price was right, the chairs were UGLY!
Fast forward to a couple weeks ago...Dad and I were talking one night and he mentioned that his church had ordered new chairs for their fellowship hall and were also replacing the wooden, slatted, ladder-style chairs in several of their Sunday School rooms as well as their library. I was semi-kidding when I told him to save 6 for me but he did. And he brought them to me when he & mom came down to visit this week. I had a little doubt about the wood of the chairs matching the wood of the table but I have to say, when I got them home, they looked FANTASTIC! I love them. The woods match almost perfectly and they really complete the dining look in my home much better than the padded metal chairs I had borrowed from the church. Now I just need to find cushions and perhaps placemats and then everything really will be complete. (Granted, that task could take me equally as long-over 2 years-but still...)
So yeah, I'm so thankful for chairs.
3. This sounds crazy but I'm very thankful for caffeine. Talk about having the WORST headache. I definitely did today until I got some Coke Zero in me. I guess I've become a little addicted since I drink a cup of coffee every morning at work and Saturdays are hard if I don't have something with caffeine before noon. I'm very thankful for Coke Zero and the power it has to soothe my headaches. :)
Blessings,
B
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
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