Thanks Living—366 Days!

Thinking.
Last year at Church we were encouraged to give a gift to God. In my Bible Study part of Acts 9:31 (MSG) stood out to me: "They were permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God. The Holy Spirit was with them, strengthening them."

For my gift to God for 2015, I wanted my heart to be permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God. I plan to continue to strive toward that throughout the year ahead as well.

But I don't want to "re-gift" to God this year, so I have been praying about what gift can I give God this year?

A friend recently sent me this quote, "Thanksgiving is once a year. Thanks Living is all year long." 

Give thanks with a grateful heart. "Giving thanks always for all things to God." "Be thankful to Him." "With the sacrifice of thanksgiving." "That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works." "May cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God."

Thanksgiving.
"grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors, especially to God." (dictionary.reference.com) 

Thanksgiving.
Giving thanks to God 366 days (2016 is a Leap Year).... seems like a simple thing, yet if it's so simple, why don't I do it each and every day?
This year, my Gift to God is a Thankful Heart. I want to learn to not only say "Thank you, God!", but I want a heart that is grateful to God and a heart that recognizes His work in my life.

Why am I posting this to my blog? Accountable. Call me out, if you see that I'm not being thankful. Challenge me to remain thankful all 366 days of 2016.

Thanks Living—366 Days!

Ultimately in Control!

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 61. Here is what I learned.

May You prolong the [true] King’s life [adding days upon days], and may His years be to the last generation [of this world and the generations of the world to come]. Psalm 61:6 (AMP)

Add days upon days to the life of the king. May his years endure throughout every generation. Psalm 61:6 (GW)

As I read Psalm 61:6, I realized the truth that I really have no control over prolonging my life. That ultimate is up to God and His plan. However, I still need to continue to make the best choices in caring for my body and not act foolishly. 

How much time is wasted on being anxious about things out of our control? I think back a few years, my sister and I had things all planned out. My parents moved to her town, so she’d be able to care for them in their old age. And sometime in the future, I’d move close to her, so we could help care for each other as we aged. But God had a totally DIFFERENT plan. My sister died in April 2011 due to cancer. My parents then moved back to FL, to be near my brothers. And.... I guess in time I might move down there too.... maybe. 

Plans... how do I add days to my life? That I can’t do! 

And which of you by being overly anxious and troubled with cares can add a cubit to his stature or a moment [unit] of time to his age [the length of his life]? Luke 12:25 (AMP)

What I can do is make sure that each and every day I am living a life that is pleasing to God and accomplishing His will for my life. 

To create a positive day, I need to remember that when I create plans, to make sure I consult God, realizing that He is ultimately in control! 

Each and Every Day!

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 90. Here is what I learned.

·Teach us [Make us know] ·how short our lives really are [to count our days] so that we ·may be wise [gain a wise heart]. Psalm 90:12 (EXB)

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. Psalm 90:12 (NLT)

If you knew you were going to die in 1 week, how would you spend that last week? That is the meaning of this verse. None of us know when we are going to die. Some will die young, some old. The length of time we are alive doesn’t really matter.....but how we spend each and every day...... that is what really matters.

"To number our days." Number we our days by our daily prayers - number we them by our daily obedience and daily acts of love - number we them by the memories that they bring of holy men who have entered into their Saviour's peace, and by the hopes which are woven with them of glory and of grace won for us!  Plain Commentary 

Men are led by reflections upon the brevity of time to give their earnest attention to eternal things; they become humble as they look into the grave which is so soon to be their bed, their passions cool in the presence of mortality, and they yield themselves up to the dictates of unerring wisdom; but this is only the case when the Lord himself is the teacher; he alone can teach to real and lasting profit. Thus Moses prayed that the dispensations of justice might be sanctified in mercy. "The law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ," when the Lord himself speaks by the law. It is most meet that the heart which will so soon cease to beat should while it moves be regulated by wisdom's hand. A short life should be wisely spent. We have not enough time at our disposal to justify us in misspending a single quarter of an hour. Neither are we sure of enough of life to justify us in procrastinating for a moment. If we were wise in heart we should see this, but mere head wisdom will not guide us aright. The Treasury of David

Knowing that our lives are short, even if we live to be 90 years old, that is still a brief time in light of eternity. 

Since I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ, I know for a fact that I will be spending eternity with Him. And throughout eternity I’ll be worshiping and praising God. But I shouldn’t wait until I “get to Heaven” to start honoring God! It should start here and now. 

Life on Earth is short, and I should spend each day honoring God for that is what really counts in light of eternity. To create a positive day, is not about making me feel good, rather it is honoring God each and every day! 

Isn't every day special?

Tomorrow is my birthday. I'll be 46-years-old. I've had many well wishes for a "special day". (Thank you for each of them!)

That made me realize

that every day can be special.

Yesterday, the weather was BEAUTIFUL. The sun was shining and the birds were chirping (including Max). As I went about my day, saw my Chiropractor and then enjoyed a lunch at Red Robin, I was greeted with many smiles. It was nice to share smiles and even a few laughs with other customers at Red Robin.

Reflecting back on the day, 

I'd have to say it was a special day. 

Today, is another Spring day. Although a bit cooler, the sun is shining. Several people went out of their way to help me today. A stranger knew I needed boxes, so went out of his way to save them at his place of work. When I arrived at the store, he even brought them out to my car. Another person ran after a box that went flying across the parking lot! Another held open a door. It's amazing how special a day is when others reach out to help (and I let them; but that's another topic). When the tasks at hand were done, we shared some smiles and thanks and went our separate ways each a bit happier. 

So, will Sunday, April 18 be special? Yes, I think.....no.....I KNOW it will be. No matter the weather. No matter what I do. No matter my pain level. No matter the circumstances I find myself.

The day will be special because
I can reflect on God's goodness. 

He has showered me with blessings and just reflecting on them makes any day special.

Creating a positive day, on April 18th, should be easy! However, often on the "planned special days", Satan works over time trying to discourage me. The best way to make the "special days" really special is to make God a BIG part of the day—including watching for those special blessings from God! He has ways of sending blessings which are all to often missed because of my preconceived expectations.

As I enjoy my birthday...MY SPECIAL day....

I want to create habits

to make every day SPECIAL!

And I hope you will join me!