One thing I learned years ago that seems to be a little secret in my relationship with God, is being thankful. Like many others, I spend time in prayer form time to time. But as I have gotten older (not sure wiser but older yes), I have learned to spend more and more of that time thanking Him for all things under the sun. I don't get why He is good to me. I don't understand why He forgives me and let's me do and have the things I do. I don't get that when things are tough He is still there to make a bad thing turn out to have good things come from it down the road. I don't. But I sure thank Him for it. All the time.
God is good all the time and all the time God is good.
See, the way I see it He knows my prayer needs and the needs of others already, right? He doesn't need me telling Him about it all over and over again as if He needs daily reminders. I mean, we pray more for our peace of mind and tranquilty than we do to keep God informed of all things earthly. I think He is good in that department. I am sure He's got FoxNews on all day. So, I thank him for knowing those prayers ahead of time, leave them at His feet and try to spend more of my time asking Him to help me live a life of thankfulness, in the way I live, and yes, behave.
Think about it. Don't you just LOVE when your kids or others close to you shower you with praises and thanks? Doesn't it make you all proud and edified in that moment?
God wants our thanks and praises more than anything else. So I do my best to give it to Him.
In the Old Testaments days they celebrated "Sukkot" or the Feast of Tabernacles. It was a time in which the people "celebrated the abundance of God’s blessings in connection with the ingathering of the fall harvest". It was much like our Thanksgiving now. (Well, in some ways...just without Cowboys football - which lately is more of a curse anyway.)
This Thanksgiving I take the time to list out all of those things I am thankful to Him for: big and small. Of course the obvious ones are salvation, Christ and God's grace. But even the little things He needs to know we appreciate.
You should do the same and share it like I have. I helps us all keep things in perspective. Here's mine:
my mom, dad and sister
my amazing, hot wife
my incredible kids
for having twins - identicals to boot
for allowing us to adopt a child
my grandmother
my cousins and all of my extended family, and our holiday gatherings!
my fun sister in law and both of my brothers in law
my great in-laws
my amazing friends (way too many to name! I am blessed beyond words in this dept)
my business partner who is like the only brother I have ever had
my days and experiences in Houston, DeSoto, Fort Worth, Arlington, Brownwood and now Mansfield
my wonderful church and the friends we have there
my loving, funny, down to earth pastor Randy
HPU and Baylor Universities
Delta Pi and all the fellas (you know who you are)
Club J and Outbreak Ministries
closing in on 20 years of working for myself
my new business that is booming after having to shut down a 10 year old business in 2011
my dog Sam that I miss very much
our 14 year old Terrier, Max for still being alive and kickin!
our newbie boxer Charlie who truly makes us laugh daily
sports! Cowboys, Rangers, Astros, Mavs, and Stars
sports talk and political talk radio!
pizza
quinns precious prayers at night
chaning the colors on the girls clock which drives them crazy, nearly every night
my iphone and all things Apple
movie nights with the kids
watching favorite shows with Julie
Hyatt Hill Country Resort in San Antonio
BBQ
Mi Tierra in San Antonio
steak and baked potatoe
Disney
for having Join.me and gotomeetings for online client sessions
Vacations and all of the amazing places I have gotten to see
my health despite my bad habits
technology that makes life fun and simplier
music - especially rock & roll, techno and jazz
my talents and skills
my wife's cake pops
Chocolate Cream Pies
ice cream
mexican food
for living in America
for living in Texas
Christmas (yes, even Santa)
South Korea
good movies
Minivans
TVO
satellite radio in my car!
our dependable and nice vehicles
my office being close to home
our wonderful house
our amazing planet to see and explore
corvettes
sex
the city of Mansfield
Chick FiLay and new one 1 mile away!
all of the business and professional connections He has given me
for "taking care of" those that purposefully hurt my business partner and I in 2009 and giving us the ability to forgive them when it was never asked for
for family nights at the Rangers Ballpark
downtown Fort Worth
canned cinnamon rolls
Galveston
my sisters fun kids!
LIFE cereal
milk
Dr Pepper and sweat tea
wine
Ted Dekker
cameras
my business clients now all over Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma
my senior business advisors in NC and AZ
I'll add more to the list as this weekend rolls along. It helps me realize just how good I have it.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
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