Wednesday, November 29, 2006

To be thankful...

I'm thankful for the One who saw the worth in this broken, fragile, unworthy frame; and bought me with His blood anyway. I'm thankful for the joy that He brings; for the happiness that He gives and takes away. I'm thankful that I am loved by Him; and that I am found worthy enough for the trials that come my way.

I'm thankful for pain, as it reminds me that I'm still alive. I'm thankful for tears; for they remind me that I am human. I'm thankful for sadness; for it makes me appreciate the good times. I'm thankful for the good times, as these are few and precious. I'm thankful for trials; as they help me to trust. I'm thankful for sorrow and hardship, as they help to shape me. I'm thankful for laughter; for it is sweeter than any music. I'm thankful for silence; as it lets me hear myself.

I'm thankful for true friends; as they are God's way of being here in the flesh. I'm thankful for hanging out; as through this we come together. I'm thankful for camaraderie; for through this we grow together. I'm thankful for shoulders to cry on; as these are life savers. I'm thankful for our similarities; as they are what brings us together. I'm thankful for our differences; as they prove that we are unique. I'm thankful for family; as they have given me time, direction and care.

I'm thankful for my eccentricities; for they are a part of who I am. I'm thankful for my sense of humor; for it allows me to sing with laughter. I'm thankful for my health; for I could be much worse off. I'm thankful for my sicknesses; for they let me appreciate my health.

I'm thankful for my country, where I can speak freely without fear of persecution. I'm thankful for liberty; and for the freedom it brings. I'm thankful for peace, as it makes me appreciate life. I'm thankful for my prosperity; as it is a gift. I'm thankful for my many blessings; as I deserve none of them.

I'm thankful for the things that I have; as they can all be taken away. I'm thankful for the things that I do not have; for they give me something to work for.

I'm thankful for the little things; as they are more fondly remembered. I'm thankful for memories; for they show me where I came from. I'm thankful for my dreams; for they
give me something to aspire to.

I'm thankful for so many things too numerous to be mentioned here.

Finally, I'm thankful that I am thankful.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

You are God alone!
From before time began
You are on Your throne
You are God alone!

And right now
In the good times and bad
You are on Your throne
You are God alone!

"God will look to every soul like its first love because He is its first love." - CS Lewis

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of — throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself." - CS Lewis

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the One Who sustains me. -Psalm 54:4

I will sacrifice a freewill offering to You; I will praise Your Name, O Lord, for it is good. For He has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes. -Psalm 54:6-7

Wow!