Several years ago my son had a grumpy day and I had tried everything in the world to get him out of it. That evening at bed I asked him for one thing that he was "thankful" for that day. It took him forever to think of something... to be honest, I don't recall if he ever did on his own.
Have you ever been there? I have!
That night I made the decision that our family was not going to go one day without saying at least one thing we were thankful for that day. There have been days we were so tired we hit the hay without doing this, but this is something we enjoy doing... sharing with those we love the things that impacted our day.
As it turns out my son can't stop with just one thing to be thankful for. I usually tell him to stop so I can get a thankful in.
In the spirit of 30 days of thankful... Gotta catch up first!
I share with you:
1 -- I am thankful for God.
If it were not for God I would not be. He knit me together in my mother's womb. I could have been anyone, but He chose to make me... ME!
2 -- I am thankful for family.
My family is by no means perfect or functional, but they are mine. God gave me my family. My in-laws are the best in the world. They raised a man that is my husband and I love and cherish him dearly. Our children are not perfect, but they are close! Our children are loving, kind, and helpful. I love their mind and heart with which they use.
3 -- I am thankful for my church family.
These are the people we have grown to love just like your biological family. You can't pick them, but you love them just the same. Sometimes in life you need people that have been where you are to help pray with you to a better place. It is a people that you can minister to and with the LOVE of God and the Good News of Jesus and His Blood that makes you a new creation when you accept His love and sacrifice of the Cross.
4 -- I am thankful to be an American.
Being an American gives us freedom. This freedom should not be taken lightly. It is this freedom that costs the blood of our men/women soldiers. Through this cost of blood shed we can have freedom of religion, speech, bare arms, and much more. We have the freedom to succeed if we want to or fail if we want to. No one is making us do anything we really don't want to do.
5 -- I am thankful for the right to VOTE.
We have the right to have our voices heard. No matter the outcome you have a voice. Yesterday was "election day" and I voiced my opinion of what I felt in my heart about who I wanted for president and other elected leaders. It is always thrilling to go vote. There is something about it that in some small way makes me feel like a pioneer. We are forging forward into an unknown time. Do we have the right tools for the times ahead? Exciting!!!
6 -- I am thankful for the Boy Scouts of America.
Our youngest son is a Boy Scout. He has come such a long way since he was a Tiger in the Cub Scouts. He has learned so many of the great American/Christian values that the Boy Scouts take a huge stand for. I am glad we have a place for boys to grow and learn these amazing values and traits.
7 -- I am thankful for friends.
I am not talking of the fair weather friends that only care about you when things are good. I mean true friends that are with you through it all; the good, bad, and the ugly. Those people that have seen you at your worst and still say they are blessed to have you in their lives. Those people that will risk it all to tell you the truth knowing in the end you will appreciate their honesty. These people are hard to come by... CHERISH THEM!!!
I am on a roll... I don't want to stop! I guess the whole idea of this is to be done the day before Thanksgiving??? I don't know, but mine will go through the whole month of November. Oh well, I don't mind.
May you have an amazing day and...
God bless...
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Where am I? Is this still America?
I am shocked, confused, and disappointed at the turn of events of the
election last night. It is hard to believe that the people voted as they did
when there has been such a huge outcry all across America to get back to our
roots and take a stand against, and for, things.
Where did the America go that believed drugs were bad for you and took you to a hopeless state of yourself? Some states voted to legalize recreational drugs.
Where did the America go that believed one man and one woman was the definition of marriage? Again, some states voted for same sex marriages.
Where did the America go that believed you don't leave men behind? Our White House left men to die in Libya. The military vote was split in the election.
Where did the America go that believed in working hard? We have more people unemployed and on welfare than ever before.
We are not a nation of giving people; we are a nation of takers. We think we are owed something because we are _________ (fill in the blank) poor, tired, hungry, Americans, privileged, minority, ... whatever you want to list. Where is the ideal of so many and the words of John Kennedy... ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.
This is not the place where I was raised. These are not the values I was taught.
Let me tell you what I see...
I see our beloved country, the United States of America, a mixed up mess looking for the answer in everything else, but where they should be looking... God!
God is the answer to every question and problem we have.
I went to bed very discouraged and confused. It happens, life gets to be too much and we are overwhelmed with stuff: the trials in our life, decisions that affect us--but we have no control over, and everything else we get uptight and dismayed over. Last night I was exhausted... thank goodness because otherwise I might have lain up all night thinking of the results of the 2012 election! As I woke I hoped it was all a dream and yesterday's vote was really in the other direction. It wasn't!
My husband turned on Fox News and we heard more information about how some states voted for drugs and same sex marriage, but then the favored vote showed President Obama winning as well.
I thought I was shocked last night before going to bed, but I can tell you I was even more shocked at learning this news. How can this be?
There are a lot of things that I could blame this reelection of President Obama on, but I don't want to be that kind of person... negative. I know when life gives medicine I don't want to take I take it knowing I will be better for it in the end. That does not mean I think Obama is the right person for the job to get us on the track to prosperity. I mean God knows what is ahead and has the person in place for HIS purpose and plan. God needs Obama in office to bring about His plan.
God is in control! This reelection of Obama did not catch Him off guard. It is in the bigger plan to take us where we need to be. I laughed last night with a friend and said something like America was leaning toward reelecting Obama because the Americans were not listening to God telling them who to vote for.
If you go back and read the Old Testament you will read over and again God putting other clans of peoples over the Israelites because they were not worshipping HIM, they were worshipping the idols of neighboring peoples. It sure looks the same to me. America is the beloved Israelites of the Old Testament falling away from her first love, God.
My faith in God knows HE will never leave nor forsake me. I trust in God and I know His Word, the Holy Scriptures, to be truth.
Joshua 1:5 states (italics added)
"No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
The God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament. The God of that century is the same God of this century... He does not change, so when he said to Joshua He would not leave nor forsake him... I can believe that He will not leave nor forsake me either.
No, I don't know God's purpose and plan for America or why He wants Obama in office again, but I know He can see the BIG picture and knows where to place the pieces of the puzzle so it comes our perfect. I can trust God in this because He has never failed me and He never will!
God is in control!
Pray for our leaders, they need it more than you know. May God bless them in their decision making and America as we pray for her leaders and the decisions they make.
God bless...
Where did the America go that believed drugs were bad for you and took you to a hopeless state of yourself? Some states voted to legalize recreational drugs.
Where did the America go that believed one man and one woman was the definition of marriage? Again, some states voted for same sex marriages.
Where did the America go that believed you don't leave men behind? Our White House left men to die in Libya. The military vote was split in the election.
Where did the America go that believed in working hard? We have more people unemployed and on welfare than ever before.
We are not a nation of giving people; we are a nation of takers. We think we are owed something because we are _________ (fill in the blank) poor, tired, hungry, Americans, privileged, minority, ... whatever you want to list. Where is the ideal of so many and the words of John Kennedy... ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.
This is not the place where I was raised. These are not the values I was taught.
Let me tell you what I see...
I see our beloved country, the United States of America, a mixed up mess looking for the answer in everything else, but where they should be looking... God!
God is the answer to every question and problem we have.
I went to bed very discouraged and confused. It happens, life gets to be too much and we are overwhelmed with stuff: the trials in our life, decisions that affect us--but we have no control over, and everything else we get uptight and dismayed over. Last night I was exhausted... thank goodness because otherwise I might have lain up all night thinking of the results of the 2012 election! As I woke I hoped it was all a dream and yesterday's vote was really in the other direction. It wasn't!
My husband turned on Fox News and we heard more information about how some states voted for drugs and same sex marriage, but then the favored vote showed President Obama winning as well.
I thought I was shocked last night before going to bed, but I can tell you I was even more shocked at learning this news. How can this be?
There are a lot of things that I could blame this reelection of President Obama on, but I don't want to be that kind of person... negative. I know when life gives medicine I don't want to take I take it knowing I will be better for it in the end. That does not mean I think Obama is the right person for the job to get us on the track to prosperity. I mean God knows what is ahead and has the person in place for HIS purpose and plan. God needs Obama in office to bring about His plan.
God is in control! This reelection of Obama did not catch Him off guard. It is in the bigger plan to take us where we need to be. I laughed last night with a friend and said something like America was leaning toward reelecting Obama because the Americans were not listening to God telling them who to vote for.
If you go back and read the Old Testament you will read over and again God putting other clans of peoples over the Israelites because they were not worshipping HIM, they were worshipping the idols of neighboring peoples. It sure looks the same to me. America is the beloved Israelites of the Old Testament falling away from her first love, God.
My faith in God knows HE will never leave nor forsake me. I trust in God and I know His Word, the Holy Scriptures, to be truth.
Joshua 1:5 states (italics added)
"No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
The God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament. The God of that century is the same God of this century... He does not change, so when he said to Joshua He would not leave nor forsake him... I can believe that He will not leave nor forsake me either.
No, I don't know God's purpose and plan for America or why He wants Obama in office again, but I know He can see the BIG picture and knows where to place the pieces of the puzzle so it comes our perfect. I can trust God in this because He has never failed me and He never will!
God is in control!
Pray for our leaders, they need it more than you know. May God bless them in their decision making and America as we pray for her leaders and the decisions they make.
God bless...
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