Inspirations

  As we draw closer to Thanksgiving, I want to thank God for reminders.    The fact is that we all need reminders,  from time to time,  to help us stay focused.   Thanksgiving serves as a yearly reminder that we have much to be thankful for.  It is incredibly easy to take many of the blessings of God for granted.   We forget to cultivate a thankful heart.   So at least during the Thanksgiving season, we are reminded to be thankful for what we enjoy.   I know a couple of friends that write down things they are thankful for each day.   Perhaps it's not a bad idea especially if it allows us to remember what God has done for us.   God wants us to remember his blessings.   So while we need to be thankful each day,   Thank you, God, that once a year we can devote a day  to give thanks for all the blessings you have lavished on us.

  All too often I spend my days going at full speed.    I try to cram so much into the day  that I collapse at the end of the day in a heap;  unable to move. If I go to a restaurant and    I have to wait longer for my food  than I would like or expect to wait, I grumble and seethe  rather than see it as a time to catch my breath. If I end up behind someone slower leaving a store,  I often act like my world will end. when what I really need to do is see it as a chance to help or make a new friend by smiling and giving a cheerful "hello". I thank God that he gives us days with nothing to do, No places to go, No one to see. I can slow down, Relax,  and breathe. Sometimes, it is hard to slow down to relax. I am thankful that God knows that we need to slow down. Thank you, God, for rest  that restores and quiets our souls,  we need to rest and unplug from the world and plug into God. I thank God that wh...

  Thank you God for my sight;  with it, I can enjoy the beauty in everything you have created trees mountains, the night sky,  flowers and animals and so much more. I find pleasure in the different tastes of foods; Everything from tangy, sweet, salty, spicy,  and any other taste I could possibly imagine. I enjoy hearing birds sing,   a dog bark,  the gentle  ripple of a brook, the roar of a waterfall,  the whisper of the wind in the trees,  and the softness of a name spoken in love. The smell of fresh bread;  or the earth just after rain.   The smell of wood burning on a cold night;  or turkey in the oven on Thanksgiving morning. These are smells I enjoy.   The feel of water in our hands;  or mud squishing between our toes.   The softness of the touch of a loved one,  or the feel of a hand calloused from hard work.   

    A cheerful heart is  good   medicine , but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. There is nothing better than laughter. A good joke can release the stress that has been building up. Q: Why did the belt get arrested?  A: He held up a pair of pants. A funny situation can provide much-needed laughter. Laughter can diffuse lighten the load.   When we can see some humor in something,  it makes it seem somehow a little better. Sometimes, as we get older, we forget to laugh; to see the humor in things.  Children naturally see the humor in situations.  This sign appeared after receiving almost 200 inches of snow.  I saw it and laughed. We go through life like zombies and forget that some things are funny. As I read through the Bible, I find many instances where God exhibits a sense of humor. For example: In Esther, God has Haaman parade the one person he hates, through the streets of Susa.   If that doesn't convince you,  ...

Hard to believe, but It's almost Thanksgiving again.  For the next 30 days, I want to focus on giving thanks. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.   Daniel 6:10 Most of us are familiar with this story.  If you’re not, you should pick up your Bible and read the whole account.  Daniel was exiled to Babylon years earlier.  He distinguished himself as trustworthy and was in line for a promotion.  Others who were also being considered for the position tried to  “find some dirt on him.”   Daniel acted with integrity, so they could find nothing wrong with him.  They finally decide to get to him through his faith in God.  They convinced Darius to make it illegal to ask...