Are you thankful

The rest of the story

Isaiah 5:20 (New International Version)

Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.

A prayer by Billy Graham’s aired by Paul Harvey:

‘Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and
to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we have done.

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us
From every sin and Set us free. Amen!’

Fixed

Proverbs 22: 17-19

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge; for it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips, so that your trust may be in the Lord; I have instructed you today, even you.

Scrubbing

But godliness with contentment is great gain, For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out,

1 Timothy 6:6,7


I washed my hands at the kitchen sink after being outside cleaning the glass top table on the back porch. The dust of the fall season covered the glass like glue making it hard to get off so it took several tries before I made much headway. I threw the paper towels in the trash and looked down at my hands. What a mess!

The warm water felt good and I worked hard to scrub the dirt off my skin and under my nails. It was then I realized some spots weren’t coming off. Age spots, I finally have some. I wonder why I didn't see them before? I smiled when I thought, "Well, now maybe I can connect the dots."

Heart overflow

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Luke 6:45

My cell phone went dead while I was talking with my mother. The phone had given me a beep signal to let me know I needed to recharge the battery so that gave me time to tell mother that if she needed me to call 911 and have the police come and get me. I'm one of the ones that has gone exclusively to cell phone and it's times like this I really want my old land line back. Fortunately I had already told mother what I needed her to know.

Talking with mother this morning and getting disconnected made me think how important our conversations really are. We say so much even when we don't say anything important. The big reason for our conversation this morning was just to be family and let mother know I love her.

New tongues - God's Grace

Mark 16:17

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

God's Grace

Today I praise God for His grace. This morning sitting in the early church service I was faced with the full meaning of God’s grace. The message was about many of what we think of as being our Bible Hero’s. You know them as father Abraham, king David, Noah, … and on. Well, each of these had big time reasons to fall under the grace of God for deliverance from sin and it’s consequences… which is eternal death. I do too…big time. Thank you God for your grace and for the understanding I received this morning. New tongues, new understanding.

Tacky

Do everything without complaining or arguing.

Philippians 2:14

I caught a glimpse of a T.V. show where a lady was complaining about Christmas and how she wished the holidays were over. We all get in situations where we feel overwhelmed with the commercial aspect of all the holidays, not just Christmas. I understood what she truly meant.

As I continued to decorate the house for company I felt another burst of holdiay spirit and a smile came on my face thinking how really tacky everything I had done looked. It reminded of my friend Anne who said there were two things in life that should be tacky, engagement rings and Christmas trees.

Packages

A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.

Proverbs 18:2

Yipes, today’s proverb hit me right on the head like a V8 commercial. Yacky, yack, yack what on earth have I been thinking and insisting that others think like I do? Somewhere there is a balance that needs to be found. Listen more, talk less; understand.

The count down is on to Christmas day. Excitement is in the air and I feel it in little bursts. Yesterday I pulled out the Christmas decorations. I don’t have a thing decorated or purchased and was reminded by someone on the T.V. that this year’s holiday shopping season is shorter because Christmas day falls on Thursday, three weeks from today! Is it me or is time faster?

Wise saying:

A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small package.

Freight Trains

My God, my Rock, in Him will I take refuge; my Shield and the Horn of my salvation; my Stronghold and my Refuge, My Savior...You save me from violence.

2 Samuel 22:3

The train stopped me from crossing the road. I was glad that I was behind other cars because, to be honest, I don't think I was paying that much attention and I had never seen a train actually go by that road before. Yes, I had driven over the tracks many times, but not often enough to know when to expect a train. I don't even know if freight trains have schedules especially on that track.

I watched the train go by and tried to count the cars. Maybe I counted them because I had done so in my childhood, but I think I was just passing time like ticking off seconds to get going again. My mind had been a million miles away trying to deal with the little problems that seemed too big for me to handle. With each car that passed I reminded myself that the train would end soon... one car at a time. I smiled and breathed "this too shall pass" as I dropped the tissue from my eyes and thanked God for slowing me down, protecting me and giving me His word, His promises and His love.

Cleaning up

Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well

. Matthew 6:33

I'm a list maker. Only list makers can understand why we do it... and it isn't the same for all of us or all the different lists we make. It hurts my head when I think about how many different types of lists there are and the methods to get them done.

In the simplest form there are two types of list makers, those who work their list and get it done and those who make lists and don't get them done.

Under the heading of those that get the list done there has to be different types who work the list in different ways with the end result of success. Under the head of those that don't get the list done are some that I think are still successful, but just not quite perfect or completely done. I fall into that category. I'm not completely done and neither is my list... almost any list I make.

Yesterday I decided that maybe what I needed was a better plan. I decided that I would concentrate on just one room and get it cleaned top to bottom. Well, guess what, it didn't get done. It seems I fall into the other category of list makers that get sidetracked. Reorganizing the bookcase and cleaning tons of dust from books I didn't even remember I had, I found myself enjoying the afternoon with old friends inside the books. After that it was on to the photo albums and they are still scattered on the couch where I left them when my eyes were just too tired to look more and it was off to bed for me. This morning my mind is still on the books and photo albums.

This morning’s scripture pulls me back and reminds me to put my visit with God at the top of all my lists thanking Him for all things.

Thanks-Giving

Paul wrote, "I thank my god every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you." Philippians 1:3-4

Yesterday, after church, we all sat down for Thanksgiving dinner delayed. Anna Claire couldn't stay awake to eat, so she slept while we sat around the table. Some how sitting around the table brings even the most busy families together.

As I sat in my chair I smiled in my heart thinking to myself what a wonderful family I have. Even this morning I'm thinking about how Carley Ann brings smiles to everyone with her sweet, funny ways and Anna Claire with her expressive hands saying many times what her mouth can't get out quick enough. I see so much pride in the eyes of Terri and Brent and love the fact they know these are precious times.