Thanksgiving is the day that millions around the US take time to think about what they are truly thankful for; nice sentiment but shouldn't we be thankful more than just one day a year? Well this November my church has challenged us to spend the entire month of November in a state of thankfulness. One month out of 12 still does not compare to living in a state of continual gratitude for what the Lord has done and continues to do for us daily but 30 days is better than 1.
For me, being thankful should mean more than just saying the words, it should be an attitude, a thoughtful reflection. So for my thankful month I have decided to make it much more personal; instead of simply saying I'm thankful for my family or my health, the Lord laid it on my heart to take it a step farther. For each and every single day this month I want to be thankful for something specific each day. I want my thankfulness to be genuine and real to me personally.
Although these prayers are personal, I thought I would share them with whoever happens to read this blog. Maybe it will give that person a chance to take a look at their own life and find those things they are grateful for and see the many blessings we are given each and every single day. Enjoy my list and if you would like to comment please do it, I'd love to hear what you are thankful for!
Nov. 1st: Today I am thankful for the amazing weather! I got to spend the day hanging out with friends outside enjoying Your wonderful creation. I need to take more time to marvel at the beautiful world you have given to us.
Nov. 2nd: I realized today have grateful I am that You have guarded my heart in each and every realtionship I've ever had. Break ups can be a mess and watching my friends go through them is heartbreaking but it made me take a step back and see that You've protected me from this devistation and I'm truly thankful.
Nov. 3rd: It was a little more difficult today to come up with something genuine to be thankful for...everyday-life feels like routine and nothing exciting going on but my thing I'm thankful for today is to not only have a job when most don't but that the job I have is so laid back I spend my days reading books I enjoy and I am being paid for it. I am so ready for a new job but at the moment I want to take time to see the blessing that I have right in front of me.
Nov. 4th: Tonight I was reminded of Your forgiveness. I taught a lesson for the junior high about not being a hypocrite, about living a life of integrity. (these lessons seem to speak more to me some nights than to the kids) I hate to admit it but I am a hypocrite some days and I don't always live with that integrity...thankfully I have Your forgiveness that is freely offered if I simply confession and change my ways. How awesome it is that we have the opportunity each and every day to turn over a new leaf which allows us to progress to a better, more Christ-like woman or man.
Nov. 5th: I take for granted the simple fact that I can go work out...today I am thankful for my health and the ability and desire (most of the time) to go workout. There are so many people who are dying because they don't take the time to take care of the vessel You have given them; thank you for the wake up calls You so politely give :)
Nov. 6th: I am truly blessed to have amazing friendships; the kind of friendships that are so valuable and authentic that I am able to be a shoulder for them to cry on and them in turn for me. That is such an unbeliveable gift that I never want to take for granted.
Nov. 7th: Today I went shopping...I am thankful for the things I got but more than that I am blessed to be so financially stable that I can go out and buy the things I want. There are so many who can not even afford the things they need and I am able to get new dresses and belts. I don't understand Your reasons but I do need to remind myself how truly blessed I am.
Nov. 8th: I am thankful for a full week of overcoming one of my temptations. I know there is nothing I can do on my own and I thank You for that perserverance and never giving up on me even when I don't have those awesome weeks.
Nov. 9th: I'm so grateful that You give us eyeopeners...those AHA moments when everything seems to come together. Everything in the world may not make sense but for that brief moment it feels like You are confiding something in us that no one else knows and that personal private realization is priceless.
Nov. 10th: Claire!!! I am so thankful to have Claire as a friend. She is an amazing, godly woman who encourages, challenges, and loves me. A simple voicemail from her brightens up my day and I don't know if she realizes how much her friendship means to me. I am blessed with such awesome friends and I need to take more time to tell them how grateful I am for them.
Nov. 11th: We are celebrating Veteran's Day today and while I'm thankful for the freedoms that these men and women have fought for and the men and women who fight on a daily bases to protect them, today my heart is burdened by the families of those brave soliders. I am grateful to these wives, children, parents, husbands, and siblings who have to say goodbye to these soliders and never know if its their last goodbye. I am thankful for their sacrifice. They are to be honored today along with their beloved soliders.
Nov. 12th:
November 11, 2009
September 16, 2009
My Girls
The saying “iron sharpens iron” never really spoke to me until recently. When you’re growing up you are surrounded by friends; you have friends you go to school with, friends that live on your street, friends at your church, and all the others you meet along the way. But as I approach adulthood (not sure what I consider an adult but I’m not there yet) I realize just how many real friends I don’t have.
Don’t get me wrong, I have tons of friends but those are more of acquaintances; the people we hang out with occasionally but they don’t really have much of a say in our day to day lives. The real friends I am referring to are the ones who we turn to when we need a shoulder to cry on after a broken heart, when we want to celebrate because we found a new job, when we just need someone to talk to; real friends are the ones we go through all of life’s ups and downs with and they still love us no matter what.
Finding the “real friends” is harder than we think and keeping those close friendships as the years pass is even more difficult. I can think of a few people who are standing the test of time with me and I cherish them more than they’ll ever really know. One has lived with me and still loves me, one I grow closer to on a daily bases, one relationship is growing and changing with time and maturity, one I met on a mission trip and we’ve stayed in touch ever since, and one I’m still trying to determine if the struggles of our friendship are worth the fight.
I’d never really reflected on the characteristics of my friends until an article I was reading this morning. I love the classifications but I see them more as traits that each person I consider my “friend” possesses. Each one takes turns being my intercessor, celebrator, encourager, teacher, and questioner; and without them all I’d be fumbling around this messed up world. God is ultimately all we need but isn’t it a relief that He gives us others to help carry the burden of this life! To all my friends, I could not be more grateful for you, I love each of you more than you’ll ever realize!
Don’t get me wrong, I have tons of friends but those are more of acquaintances; the people we hang out with occasionally but they don’t really have much of a say in our day to day lives. The real friends I am referring to are the ones who we turn to when we need a shoulder to cry on after a broken heart, when we want to celebrate because we found a new job, when we just need someone to talk to; real friends are the ones we go through all of life’s ups and downs with and they still love us no matter what.
Finding the “real friends” is harder than we think and keeping those close friendships as the years pass is even more difficult. I can think of a few people who are standing the test of time with me and I cherish them more than they’ll ever really know. One has lived with me and still loves me, one I grow closer to on a daily bases, one relationship is growing and changing with time and maturity, one I met on a mission trip and we’ve stayed in touch ever since, and one I’m still trying to determine if the struggles of our friendship are worth the fight.
I’d never really reflected on the characteristics of my friends until an article I was reading this morning. I love the classifications but I see them more as traits that each person I consider my “friend” possesses. Each one takes turns being my intercessor, celebrator, encourager, teacher, and questioner; and without them all I’d be fumbling around this messed up world. God is ultimately all we need but isn’t it a relief that He gives us others to help carry the burden of this life! To all my friends, I could not be more grateful for you, I love each of you more than you’ll ever realize!
June 14, 2009
Success vs Failure
As a recent college graduate I have been submitting my resume via the internet and patiently awaiting responses for about 2 months now. The anticipation of a possible new job venture is both exhilarating and terrifying; a new job means more money, new responsibilities, and new co-workers. When you’ve worked at the same place for over 3 years, a new job is a little daunting. Despite my above mentioned fears another that I had not anticipated crept up on me this morning as I was checking my emails.
In not so many words, it was the fear of rejection!
I sat staring at my inbox that held an obvious response to one of my resume submissions I felt my heart rate begin to intensify rather quickly. You know the feeling you get when you begin anticipating the worst. Well the worst for me would be that my potential employer thought me unworthy of the job.
While I sat waiting to draw up enough courage to face my perceived rejection, I realized how ridiculous I was acting. So what if I did not suit that particular company, there are plenty of others out there with just as promising opportunities that I had not even applied for yet. Basically I was finding my worth in whether or not someone found me hirable.
Why?
One of the scariest things in my life is dealing with the thought of failure. Growing up you hear what great things you can accomplish but when it comes time to achieve these goals, what do you do if you can’t figure out how to define success in your life? Sure there are some of us who are meant to be great things out in the world but what if some of us are meant to do great things for the world? Too many times we get caught up in our dreams, our goals, our lives and we forget that this life is not about us.
After getting frustrated with myself I remembered reading this amazing commencement from this blog I read on Bounless' Web site that had challenged my thinking just yesterday...I'm a slow learner obviously. In the Boundless article the author said “God cares about the kind of person you will be even more than about what kind of things you will do.”
How quick we forget that the measure of a man (or woman) is his character rather than his bank account! So if the God who created the universe and every possible job that I could ever do cares less about the details of my day to day tasks and more about me as a representation of Him, why do I put so much emphasis on a job? We get so distracted by the world’s idea of success and forget how the bible measures success…to be a successful Christian you need only go and tell. The greatest commandment Christ ever gave was to go and tell others about Him
Whether we’re meant to be a teacher, lawyer, mom or whatever else we can imagine, as long as we are lifting high the name of Christ, “there will be something about your motherhood, teaching, preaching, lawmaking or machinery-making that transcends and glorifies motherhood, teaching, preaching, law-making or machinery-making, because it speaks undeniably of Him.”
In not so many words, it was the fear of rejection!
I sat staring at my inbox that held an obvious response to one of my resume submissions I felt my heart rate begin to intensify rather quickly. You know the feeling you get when you begin anticipating the worst. Well the worst for me would be that my potential employer thought me unworthy of the job.
While I sat waiting to draw up enough courage to face my perceived rejection, I realized how ridiculous I was acting. So what if I did not suit that particular company, there are plenty of others out there with just as promising opportunities that I had not even applied for yet. Basically I was finding my worth in whether or not someone found me hirable.
Why?
One of the scariest things in my life is dealing with the thought of failure. Growing up you hear what great things you can accomplish but when it comes time to achieve these goals, what do you do if you can’t figure out how to define success in your life? Sure there are some of us who are meant to be great things out in the world but what if some of us are meant to do great things for the world? Too many times we get caught up in our dreams, our goals, our lives and we forget that this life is not about us.
After getting frustrated with myself I remembered reading this amazing commencement from this blog I read on Bounless' Web site that had challenged my thinking just yesterday...I'm a slow learner obviously. In the Boundless article the author said “God cares about the kind of person you will be even more than about what kind of things you will do.”
How quick we forget that the measure of a man (or woman) is his character rather than his bank account! So if the God who created the universe and every possible job that I could ever do cares less about the details of my day to day tasks and more about me as a representation of Him, why do I put so much emphasis on a job? We get so distracted by the world’s idea of success and forget how the bible measures success…to be a successful Christian you need only go and tell. The greatest commandment Christ ever gave was to go and tell others about Him
Whether we’re meant to be a teacher, lawyer, mom or whatever else we can imagine, as long as we are lifting high the name of Christ, “there will be something about your motherhood, teaching, preaching, lawmaking or machinery-making that transcends and glorifies motherhood, teaching, preaching, law-making or machinery-making, because it speaks undeniably of Him.”
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