Thanksgiving is Never Really Over

Thanksgiving is never really over.
I don't mean because of the pounds of dry turkey
you'll be eating for months and months and months.

Turkey soup,
turkey sandwiches,
turkey and rice,
turkey cheddar broccoli casserole,
turkey and cranberry casserole
are ways we try to get rid of the poultry.
We should never try to get rid of the
spirit of Thanksgiving
we've been feasting on for the past week.


We've discussed it's the Lord's will that

in

everything
we

Give Thanks.

Easy to say,

hard to do.

The spirit is willing,

but the flesh is weak.

(Stone from Dutch Mill, Inc.)

As parents, we understand

thank you.

More than a bajillion times in our parenting history

we'll remind, instruct and downright nag our kids to use these

two very lovely words.

They're two words that mean so much.

But giving thanks is more than just vocalizing the right words,

it's to be grateful or to feel thankful.

It's an act that emcompasses body, soul and spirit.

It isn't true thanksgiving without this trinity of our humanity.

When someone has given us a gift that we 

couldn't afford,

didn't expect,

don't deserve and

couldn't provide for ourselves,

we feel indebted to them.

In fact, sometimes our words seem lame,

compared to the gratitude welling up within our hearts,

but we say them anyway,

hoping, in our weakness, to convey the depths of our thanksgiving. 

The Lord has given us a great gift that we

couldn't afford,

didn't expect,

don't deserve and

couldn't provide for ourselves.

It's right that we feel indebted to Him.

It's right that we go through life

thankful for our beautiful Savior,

the Lord Jesus Christ.

Long after you've eaten the last turkey leftovers,
may you still be consumed with thanksgiving,
because Christians understand thanksgiving isn't a holiday,
it's the Lord's will for our lives.

In

everything

give

thanks.

'Cuz, ya' know,

thanksgiving is never really over.

Really, Lord? Thankful in EVERYTHING?

First, we learned being thankful is the Lord's will.

Then, we learned that we are to give thanks

in the midst, in the middle, in that time.

(Stone from Dutch Mill, Inc.)

The second word of the verse can be just as challenging as the first.

See, we're two words into the verse, and we're under serious conviction.

In

everything.

Everything?

Everything!

We might doubt the wisdom and expected execution

of our dear Heavenly Father.

Really?  Everything?

Christmas is coming up.

If you're like me, you'll make sure there are several gifts

for each family member under the tree.

Do you expect your children to thank you for every gift?

Really?

Even the socks?

Even the underwear?

Even the chia pet from the auntie?

Give thanks for every gift?

If we can expect this of our children,

our Heavenly Father can expect this of us.

Wait a minute, I hear you protesting,

trials aren't the same as gifts!

That's not a fair comparison!

It isn't?

We only think of these situations as trials

because we can't see the Lord's big picture.

We got a flat tire once.

Friday rush hour traffic on I-5.

It was raining.

Bumper to bumper traffic trying to escape Seattle.

We could have complained

and fussed and moaned.

We thanked the Lord and changed the tire.

We missed a 10+ car pile-up.

I know you what know what everything means,

but let's just spell it out anyway.

each

every

any

all

the whole

everyone

all things

It's easy to give thanks to the Lord when we  buy a new house,

have a new baby, get our income tax refund back,

make a new friend, get a front row parking place,

enjoy a family vacation.

These good things from the Lord should cause our hearts

to overflow with thanksgiving.

He is the giver of all good gifts.

But, giving thanks in everything has to include cancer.

It has to include losing friends to cancer.

It has to include moving.

It has to include accidents.

It has to include trials.

It has to, because it's the Lord's will.

And if it's the Lord's will,

then it's the right thing to do.
 

We give thanks in everything

because we don't know every part of God's plan.

We don't know every person He's trying to touch through our situation.

We don't know every blessing the Lord wants to give us.

We can't pick and choose when we want to trust the Lord.

We either trust Him or we don't.

To trust Him it means giving thanks in

everything,

because nothing is out of His care or His plan. 

Give Thanks IN...

Being thankful is not just a suggestion...

not just a holy hint...

not just a good idea for a good life.

Yesterday we learned it's God's will that we're thankful.

(Stone from Dutch Mill, Inc.)

The Lord even gives us a few guidelines for abiding in His will.

Today we're going to talk about one simple word.

Just one.

One eensy, weensy, little word that should cause us all

to quake in our boots.

IN

The verse begins by telling us when to be thankful.

A simple two letter preposition gives serious time parameters.

It means being thankful

"in the midst, in the middle, in that time."

OK, you're waiting for a great revelation

because you know what in means.

Let's talk about what it doesn't mean.

It doesn't mean being thankful underneath the trial,

hiding out from the circumstances in quaking disbelief and fear.

It doesn't mean being thankful beside a situation,

sidestepping spiritual responsibility and the work of the Potter's Hands.

 

It doesn't mean being thankful after a situation,

when you've seen the outcome and understand God's purpose.

It means being thankful right

in

the

middle

before you know the outcome, the purpose or the fruit.

Right

in

that

time

when the flames are the hottest,

the loneliness is the deepest,

the pain is the greatest,

the tears are the saltiest.

That's when we're to give thanks.

Do you believe that whatever you are

in 

the

middle

of God is there?

Do you believe it's His plan for you to be there?

There is a simple way I can test my heart

in the midst of a trial or hardship.

Can I lift my head and heart to the Heavens

and honestly thank the Lord?

Right when I'm

in

the

middle?

**********

Feel like crafting to show your thankful heart?

There's still a few days left to Thanksgiving.

Summit Street Joy is offering this free printable.

Isn't it perfect?

If you use this, please stop by Lauren's blog

and thank her, since we're talking about being thankful.

 I know you'll appreciate her creativity.

 Myra at My Blessed Life

is highlighting many beautiful, free printables for Thanksgiving.

Myra also has a wonderful list of fall projects and decorating.

Stop by for some last minute inspiration.

Just remember to

give

thanks.



What's God's Will?

(Stone from Dutch Mill, Inc.)

It's easy to sail amiss in our Christian lives,

 like ships without rudders,

trying to find the center of God's perfect will for our lives.

We pray, seek counsel, pray, seek more counsel,

but sometimes an evident answer from Heaven isn't heard.

It's never that God isn't listening,

I think we're looking for the wrong thing.

In the Scriptures, God's will is not a carefully architected

blueprint of where we'll go to school,

where we'll live, which car we'll buy or who we'll marry.

Before you think I've gone all apostate on you,

think about this.

Look up some verses.

God's will in the Scriptures is His moral and spiritual will for your life.

It's how he wants you to walk the path of life,

 not merely the actually stones in the path.

So, I'm saying God doesn't care about those things?

No, I'm not saying that.

He guides and directs and longs to be the center

of all these decisions.

But, blessing doesn't come from choosing the right college,

although the Lord may bless you at the college you choose.

Blessing comes from obedience.

Joy doesn't come from having the right job,

although there could be joy in your job.

Joy comes from our salvation.

Thanksgiving is not a one day holiday,

nor is it only a nicety of the Christian life.

It's an absolute, expected way of living,

the act of a heart grateful to a holy and mighty God.

It's God's will.

It's that mysterious plan for your life you've been seeking.

If you're seeking answers for decisions in your life,

look at how you're defining God's will.

Once you start living according to God's will,

you might have more answers and guidance from Heaven.

This week we'll be looking more at

giving thanks

because we all want to be in

God's will.

How do I know?

The rest of the verse inscribed on the stone above is

for this is the will of God

 in Christ Jesus for you.

Give Thanks in EVERYTHING

1 Thessalonians 5:18

 In everything

 give thanks;

for this is the will of God

 in Christ Jesus

 for you.

I have heard someone say

you really don't have to give thanks

for everything

but just in everything.

They thought it might be foolish to

thank the Lord for a flat tire or an illness.

I have to respectfully and lovingly

disagree.

It seems to me,

 if you won't give thanks

for everything,

you really aren't surrendering to everything.

What if that flat tire,

is an answer to prayer for safety?

What if it is keeping you from a 13 car pile-up?

Happened to me once.

Although I'm a little slow.

I didn't realize until AFTER I blogged

what the Lord spared me from.

What if that flat tire

is what the Lord used

to show you you forgot to tie down the huge ladder

on top of your truck?

Instead of killing someone

with a loose ladder,

you  only fixed a flat, then tied your ladder down.

Happened to my friend Tim.

What if the loss of your husband's job,

is the Lord's way of giving

your husband a BETTER job?

Happened to my friend Cheri.

What if that illness is an

answer to prayer for a chance to be a testimony

and become more Christ-like?

Happened to more friends than I can list.

What if taking one child home to Heaven early,

is one of the tools the Lord uses,

to bring salvation to the other kids in the family.

Happened to more friends than I can list.

What if...

What if...

What if...

We don't know why God

causes or allows the circumstances of our lives.

We just need to trust Him.

We need to obey Him.

As we eagerly anticipate

a special day of Thanksgiving,

our hearts are looking to the Lord.

Most of us are already convicted

that we should be thankful

every day.

But, we need to go further

than showing thankfulness

every day.

We need to give thanks in

every

thing.

E V E R Y

thing.

This is the will of God,

in Christ Jesus,

for us.