G Thanks Days 2 and 3

Got a little busy.  One thing I find is that being grateful toward others on days you are really busy and do not go out into the world at large as much are more difficult.  But here were my attempts the last couple of days.

The election workers...I did not bring them anything as I thought that might would be inappropriate and maybe not even allowed for them to take a "gift," but I tried to express my gratitude for them providing a great service.

The pizza guy.  He makes the best pizza and is a great guy to visit with.  So glad this New Yorker brought New York style pizza to south Louisiana.  Love me some Omar at Roma's Pizza.

Got to get busy on the thanks in the home front.  Some times its the small things.  Wendy "fixed" a ready made chicken from the super market yesterday.  Gave herself a negative comment on that in jest. I simply said, "Thanks for supper. It doesn't matter who cooked it, you made sure we had it to eat."  Something like that.  Try to appreciate the little things.  A yummy supper served hot did not fix it self.  I followed the meal up by cleaning the kitchen which is a normal nightly activity for me, but I hope it says thanks for supper every time I do it.

G Thanks day 1

The power washer guy at my car wash. The detailers get thanks. But I like my car wash because before I roll through and they power spray the hard to clean spots. But hard to tip someone while rolling into a car wash and with a power sprayer going. So today i found a way tip him with a "G Thanks" card without getting the interior of my card drenched.

The G Thanks Challenge

“Gee, Thanks”  This sentiment is often the sum total of the expression of gratitude people experience in our current culture.  Gratitude is a discipline.  Thankfulness is a practice.  The problem is that it is more and more a lost art.

Thanksgiving is thanks given.

Facebook culture is spreading a status update concept for expressing things you are thankful for.  This is a good thing because stopping to think about why you are thankful makes you more thankful.

I want to challenge you to go beyond status updates though.  The challenge is to give thanks in personal ways this season.  Everyday do something that requires you to go out of your way to give thanks.

Express thankfulness in words spoken instead of typed.  Express it personally and not just technologically.  Express thanks in doing not just in saying.

There is so much to be thankful for, so many people to be thankful for, and so many blessings to be thankful for.

So if you take this challenge…starting today and everyday until Thanksgiving…do something to give thanks. 

BTW…Sunday we start a series called “G Thanks.”  We will be learning about what the Bible has to say about Giving, Growing in, and getting thanks in life.  See you Sunday at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00.

Playing the Blame Game with God

A person’s own folly leads to their ruin,
yet their heart rages against the Lord. Proverbs 19:3

Some times the wisdom written in Proverbs is so accurate it is scary.

I wonder how many times I have heard someone rage against God for their life issues caused by their own foolish decisions.

Don't rage...repent.
Not raging...returning.

He is willing and ready to forgive you. Are you ready to live a better future or is more important to blame the past?

Quit playing the blame game because he willingly took your blame and your shame. He already won this game. Not by blaming you but by shaming himself.

Lose this game and you finally win.

THE RUN

The Run

The name of Yahweh (the Lord) is a strong tower;
the righteous run to it and are protected.  Proverbs 18:10 (bold added)

The run is always important.  We run for all kinds of reasons.  I personally run for fun, oddly enough.  But spiritually the run is huge.  We are told to run many times in the Bible.

Flee sexual immorality…1 Corinthians 6:18
Run with perseverance the race marked out for us…Hebrews 12:1
Run and not grow weary…Isaiah 55:5
Run in such a way to get the prize…1 Corinthians 9:24

The idea of running in Scripture is tied to our heartfelt obedience and our sincere repentance.  We run from because we run to. 

The name of the Lord in their culture would mean turning to a person knowing and trusting the character of that person.  Too often when we turn to run in our spiritual life we simply turn from something and not to someone.

What about your life?  Are you a person that is truly repentant?  Have turned away from bad in your life or have you turned to God with your life?

The righteous run to the Lord and He is a strong tower.  If you find yourself still fighting the same old battles in same old places you faced them before, then perhaps you turned from and not to.

Run to the Lord today…you will find strength there you have never known.