As I woke up one morning in April I was reminded of the polio outbreak of the early 50’s. In the United States, the 1952 epidemic was the worst outbreak in the nation’s history, and is credited with heightening parents’ fears of the disease. Of the 57,628 cases reported that year 3,145 died and 21,269 were left with mild to disabling paralysis. I remember the fear. And I remember the sugar cubes with pink medicine that would prove to eradicate the dreaded disease forever in the US. I also remember knowing people who had contracted the disease. Oh beloved, why …
Those Gifts!
Every gift our 6 year old granddaughter received was her favorite! As each package was opened she remarked that she adored it, it was wonderful, it was something she always wanted. Once she opened it and said “I love it!” And then she said “What is it?” We all laughed. She lit up the room with her praise and thankfulness. She did receive things she had asked for, but other gifts were things she hadn’t thought about. Nevertheless she loved them all. Everything that came to her was unwrapped and enjoyed. Her joyfulness was contagious and sincere. Let’s face it. …
Let The Praises Ring
We should start each day with praise. We have no reason not to do so. Matthew 10 says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” He protected us while we were sleeping; He gave us the breath in our lungs; and He awakened us in the morning. Before our feet hit the floor, we should give Him praise. He knows the numbers of the hairs on our head. He knows …
Praise Him!
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100: 4 It isn’t a surprise to God. That thing that blind-sided you out of left field, that sudden loss, personal betrayal or financial disaster is not a surprise to God. Your ongoing, seemingly never-to-improve condition, situation or trying relationship is not a surprise to God. Not one crisis or trial that enters our life is a surprise to him. From our earthly perspective we can’t see over the wall that is our difficulty, but he is looking down and sees all. …
Thanksgiving!
As I wondered out loud to the Lord what I might have, if anything, for me to share about giving, He reminded me about a situation we encountered while on a motorcycle in Houston Texas. So here’s the story. Quite a few years ago I won a chance to compete in a shrimp eating contest in Houston. After entering my short message on “Why I am the best seafood lover in the south” they picked me! We decided that we didn’t want to fly we wanted to ride the motorcycle. In the middle of July no less, we did …
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
Luke 13: 6-9 “And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’” …
Acting Thankful
Colossians 3: 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. As the Thanksgiving Holiday approaches I find myself thinking more about being thankful for the blessings I have been given. When I pray a prayer of thanksgiving, I find myself spouting off a long list of “things” for which I am thankful. At church we are asked to share something we have to be thankful for by writing it on a piece of paper or just simply telling …
Hearts of Gratitude
In looking up the word “gratitude” from various sources, most of the definitions were very similar and what one might expect: thankfulness, the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness; a natural expression of thanks in response to blessings, protection, or love, etc… One definition, however, significantly stuck out to me: gratitude is a joyful commitment of one’s personality to God. Researching gratitude chronologically in the Bible, it took me a while to find it, which was surprising to me! Although we don’t see a “thank you” in the first few chapters of Scripture, …