Thursday, November 24, 2011

Don't forget to remember


Psalm 103:2 says, " Bless the LORD, Oh my soul, and forget none of His benefits;"
We can get so busy during this holiday time that we "forget to remember". This Psalm helps us to remember everything the Lord has done for us.
I want to take some time today on this Thanksgiving day to remember some of these benefits, or blessings.
In this passage of Psalms it lists for us some of God's great blessings to us.
1. Forgiveness, vs 3 says, " Who pardons all your iniquities." We can be thankful today that we have been forgiven by God. Not just some of our sins, but all of them.
I John 1: 9 says "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
2. Healing, vs 3 continues by saying, " Who heals all your diseases." Have you stopped to thank God for your healing of even the smallest of sicknesses? He designed our bodies to have "anti-bodies" to be able to fight off sickness. There are so many things that we take for granted that our bodies can do without us even thinking about it! We truly are "wonderfully made!"
3. Redemption, vs 4 says, " Who redeems your life from the pit,"
We have been redeemed by the Lord, He alone has saved us from the pit of hell! Thanks be to God for this! He purchased us by His own blood. Let's take the time to thank Him for this today.
4. Love and compassion vs 4 continues by saying, " Who crowns you with loving kindness and compassion;" As if being redeemed and being saved from the pit of hell weren't enough, He caps it all off by "crowning" us with love, kindness and compassion!
Our you aware of these wonderful gifts He has given you today?!
Salvation wasn't enough. He wants you to know His love.
1 John 3:1" How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"
God's love is lavish! Extravagant! He gave His only Son because of His lavish love! Thank you God for your great love you lavish on us today!
5. Provision vs 5 says, " Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle."
Well if forgiveness,healing, redemption, love and compassion weren't enough, He also provides for us. The verse says that he gives us satisfaction in our years with "good things". This is very broad. There are so many "good things" to list, I'm not trying to sound like Martha Stewart, with her quote, "and that's a good thing.". I just want us to stop and think today of all of the good things that he has given to us.
It makes us feel so satisfied that it refreshes us so that our youth is renewed! I am not getting any younger, so this is a great encouragement to me. He is not saying that we will be young again. Believe it or not, I wouldn't want to be. He is saying we can still carry on with our life and be renewed in our spirit by "forgetting not all these benefits."
Lord, I want to take the time today to remember all your benefits toward me. This is just a small list. If I took the time to list them all this paper could not hold it all. But Lord, I do thank you for all of these things and more that you have so lavishly satisfied me with.
Thank you... thank you.... thank you... I will remember Lord, I will remember....

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Thanksgiving Graces

Thanksgiving Graces
You only are the maker Of all things near and far; You paint the wayside flower, You light the evening star. The winds and waves obey you, By you the birds are fed; Much more to us your children, You give our daily bread. We thank you then, Creator, For all things bright and good, The seed time and the harvest, Our life, our health, our food. Amen. —Matthias Claudius, 1740–1815
Oh my God, for providing senses to enjoy delights, for thy royal bounty providing my daily support, for a full table and overflowing cup, for appetite, taste, sweetness, for social joys of relatives and friends for opportunities of spreading happiness around, for loved ones in the joys of heaven, I love thee above the powers of language to express, For what thou art to thy creatures. Amen. —17th–century Puritan meditation
Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and may our meal by you be blest. —Martin Luther, 1483–1546
For health and food For love and friends; For everything Thy goodness sends We thank Thee.—Ralph Waldo Emerson,, 1803–1882
Blessed Lord, we pray thee to be present at our table hallowing thy gifts to our use; that eating to satisfy our needs we may remember those who lack. —St. Francis of Assisi, c. 1181–1226
For when we gladly eat our daily bread, We bless The Hand that feeds us; And when we trod the road of life in cheerfulness Our very heart-beats praise the Lord that leads us. —Henry Van Dyke, 1852–1933
(Borrowed from Women of Faith)

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Thou Shalt Laugh...







Knock knock... Who's There?
Doris
Doris Who?
Doris locked that's why I'm knocking!
You may like knock knock jokes, you may not, but I bet if you are a human you love to laugh!
Something I am thankful for today is LAUGHTER! Ha ha hee hee ho ho, or as I see on facebook Bwahhaaaha! Nothing is as good for you as a good, gut busting, belly laugh. It's like a tonic!
The Bible says in Proverbs 17:22 " A merry heart is good medicine..." (KJV) in the (NASB), it says "a joyful heart." Ecclesiastes 3:4 says, " There's a time to laugh."
I am so thankful that God created us to be able to laugh. When God created man he said that "it was good." That means that everything that He created us to be able to do was good! To put it into a Biblical vernacular, it's like God said, "Thou shalt laugh."
I am a happy person by nature. I love to laugh and I love to make other people laugh. My family is the same way. My grandmother, Sadie Hawkins( yes, that was her real name), was quite a cut-up and she loved to make people laugh. My husband Steve, daughter Ashley, and my son Daniel also make me laugh. Whenever we all get together, we crack each other up!
When I get together with the ladies in my Sunday school class we are always laughing. Don't get me wrong. During our Sunday school time we are studying Scripture. But when we have our Sunday School Socials we are laughing and talking.
When I have the great opportunity of going to a Chamber Choir reunion with the group that I sang in at LU, the sounds that prevail are laughter.
Some great quotes that I found about laughter are:
"Laughter is an instant vacation." Milton Berle
"Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." Victor Borge
" A good time to laugh is anytime you can." Linda Elerbee
"A laugh is a smile that bursts." Mary H. Waldrip
" What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul." Yiddish Proverb
So if you want to feel better today, don't reach for the Valium, or other things that promise that you will feel good. Maybe instead you should watch a clean comedy, or go out with your girlfriends. Call an old friend that makes you laugh..
I bet you will start to feel better in no time!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Jesus... Indescribable!


November is here already! I want to take some time this month to share some thoughts of gratitude.
Thankful for Jesus my Saviour.
Jesus,
Word
Son
Holy
Saviour
Sustainer
Lord
Way
Truth
Life
Prince
King
Wonderful
Counselor
Perfection
Redeemer
The Door
The Bridge
Mighty God
Peace speaker
Grace giver
Burden bearer
Spotless lamb
My Shepherd
King of Kings
Lord of Lords
Healer of hurts
Lifter of my head
Lover of my soul
Justified the unjust
Glorifier and the Glorified
Magnifier and the Magnified
Name above all Names
Jesus... Indescribable!