Weekly Gratitude Journal

Thanksgiving week is over. Today is the last day of the month of Thanksgiving- in November I post something I'm thankful for every day on social media. But, giving God thanks is a daily lifestyle, not a habit for only one month of the year. And so I continue to write my thanks in my daily gratitude journal and to post them weekly here.

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Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#13,918-#13,943

11-23-2020-

-hope filled conversations about our future

-God's faithful provision

-the song, "Knowing You Jesus"

11-24-2020-

-a morning coffee brought to me by my guy

-a fantastic Bible study on the letters to the churches in the book of Revelation

-our good, kind dentist

11-25-2020-

-encouraging texts with a ministry friend

-talking with my sister through the process of making her dinner roll recipe

 (they are fantastic!)

-a friend from church coming by for a visit

-a "car date" with my guy for some take out for dinner (lamb schwarma pita-yummm!)

11-26-2020-

-a slow lazy Thanksgiving morning

-our youngest grandson scooting all over the room now

-cooking with my daughter

-playing games with my granddaugher

-nerf gun wars with Papa and our six year old grandson

-texts and calls from our daughters and grands that are with their in-laws this year

11-27-2020-

-a good night's sleep

-driving out of the fog into clear blue skies

-kisses from my guy

11-28-2020-

-our granddaughter's ninth birthday-we thank God for her!

-getting to FaceTime with her

-the blessing of a hard working washer and dryer

11-29-2020-

-the beginning of Advent-lighting the candle of hope

-youngest daughter and grands surprising us at church today

-doing some Christmas shopping with a friend

-watching cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies while munching my favorite popcorn

still following,

Have A Light Filled Christmas

Thanksgiving has come and gone and today is the first Sunday of Advent. We are nearing the end of a year marked by a world-wide pandemic, civil unrest, a contentious election and any number of personal challenges that all of the above have exacerbated. Regardless of this year's tests and trials, Christmas is still coming and we still have something to celebrate! Christ the Savior was born for you and for me!   (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, November 29th at Woman to Woman Ministries, where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson

Weekly Gratitude Post

We were out of town last Monday, so I have two weeks worth of gratitude journaling to post. This Thanksgiving our gatherings may be smaller and quieter but nothing should stop us from seeing the blessings of God in our lives and giving Him thanks. Being grateful and being joyful are related. It is impossible to be both ungrateful and joyful. Why not do an experiment and begin writing down at least three things per day that you are thankful for and see if your joy level increases!

*****************

Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#13,876-#13,917

11-9-2020-

-a really good night's sleep

-cold, frosty weather

-my husband getting home from out of town 

11-10-2020-

-God's faithful provision

-praying together before the day begins

-a yummy dinner at home together

11-11-2020-

-a new garage door keypad that works

-thankful for our veterans on this Veteran's Day

-meeting a friend for tea and a good talk

11-12-2020-

-a long phone call with a friend I haven't seen in a long time

-God's provision to pay for our new garage door

-a beautiful autumn walk

11-13-2020-

-a safe trip 

-a drive along the coast

-belly laughs and heart talks

11-14-2020-

-blue skies

-breakfast with friends

-learning new things

11-15-2020-

-wakng up without a migraine

-God ministering through my husband

-a walk by the sea at sunset with my husband

11-16-2020-

-a sweet morning together

-a fingernail moon in a blue hour sky

-HOME

11-17-2020-

-phone calls with both of my sisters

-a sweet time with my grandgirlie of going shopping and out to eat as a pre-birthday celebration

-deciding this is the year to put the Christmas tree up early

11-18-2020-

-God speaking to me through His Word

-a call from a friend telling me she's praying for my family

-fun with the grandkids

11-19-2020-

-the revelations of Jesus from the book of Revelation

-a break in the rain for my walk

-praying together

11-20-2020-

-a beautiful afternoon after a foggy morning

-getting to see our oldest granddaughter at her job-and everyone telling us how great she is

-God's healing power

11-21-2020-

-our home

-a fun afternoon with a friend

-God's provision for some car repairs

11-22-2020-

-youngest granddaughter's snuggles

-youngest grandson's baby dedication at church

-God's encouragement

still following,

Developing A Thanksgiving Lifestyle

Thanksgiving Day is this week! I believe that thanksgiving should be more than something we focus on for one day a year. For that reason, I have made a "tradition" of repeating this post about a simple way to make thanksgiving more than just a holiday. I believe it should be the lifestyle of the believer.

 It was really eye opening to me the day I stumbled upon Deuteronomy 28:47, (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition), in my Bible reading. In this verse we find out that one of the reasons that God's people were living a less than life was "Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness of mind and heart in gratitude for the abundance of all with which He had blessed you." Gratitude is important to God and it's life changing for us.  Ann Voskamp, author of the book One Thousand Gifts, writes, "Give thanks if you are joyful is, in reality, to be joyful give thanks." Did you notice in that verse in Deuteronomy how, to God, both our joyfulness and our gratitude are not only important, but connected?  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, November 22nd at Woman to Woman Ministries, where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson

One Way

"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me."

John 14:6

When I went away to college, Mama sold the tall, yellow house on Dartmouth Street that I had lived in since birth, and she and my little brother moved into a small one level home that was easier for her to take care of. This was before the days of cell phones that give us instant directions to anyplace we want to go, so the first time I went back home to visit Mama she had to give me directions to get there. Can you imagine if she had said, "If you are sincere, you will find your way home." Or how about, "If you just follow your heart you will find your way home." Or, "If you are a good enough person, you will find your way home." That would make no sense! Mama had moved to a specific house with a specific address in a specific location and I needed specific directions to get there.

When sin entered the world through Adam and Eve's disobedience, mankind lost the way to their true Home. The place that we have always belonged is in the presence of our Father God. Thank God that He already had a plan in place for us to be able to get back to His home and heart where we belong.  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, November 15th  at Woman to Woman Ministries, where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson

Weekly Gratitude Journal

Continuing to give thanks to God after a wild and crazy election week in this wild and crazy year!

*****************

Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#13,852-#13,875

11-2-2020-

-watching our youngest grandson for a couple of hours

-my husband's prayers for me

-friends from church texting us that they are praying for us

11-3-2020-

-another friend from church praying for me over the phone

-texting with our girls throughout this election day

-praying and trusting God

11-4-2020-

-God speaking to me from Colossians

-when my car wouldn't start-thank God it was only a loose battery cable!

-our three daughters

11-5-2020-

-the unusual little ways that God provides for us

-an especially sweet time of prayer together at church tonight

-our arrows Psalm 127:3-5

11-6-2020-

-a phone call from my big brother

-our girls encouraging us

-God's help in my preparation to preach on Sunday

11-7-2020-

-a refreshing walk

-my favorite tea

-my oldest granddaughter's lovely senior photos

-hugs and kisses from my grandbabies

11-8-2020-

-God's presence and help as I preached yesterday

-encouragement in person and via text afterwards

-lunch with my daughter and grandkids

-Christmas music and movies

still following,

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Eyes Wide Open In Gratitude

"Stay alert with your eyes wide open in gratitude." Colossians 4:2 The Message Bible

The social media memes abound about how horrible 2020 has been. I don't need to go through the whole litany of challenges we have faced this year-you all know them too well. And now our presidential election is a big contentious mess, because of course it is! Is anyone surprised? 

When we go through hard times, especially when a difficult season is prolonged, our problems can blind us to our blessings-all we can see are the difficulties.   (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, November 8th  at Woman to Woman Ministries, where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson