Courage

Thankful #3
2018

I am thankful for courage, and wish I had more.  It fails me periodically.


Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is resolute action when it is hard or even in the face of fear.

We are told at least seventy times in the New Testament, "fear not".  Courage is moving forward in obedient belief and faith in the face of something that threatens and causes us to shake in fear.


Police officers who put on a badge that makes them a target just to make sure others are helped and protected. Soldiers who stand on strange lands, making a stand for what is right. Those are what our thoughts go to first usually.  But what about personal courage?  Ordinary day courage?

Courage to be pleasant when someone is being very UNpleasant.
Courage to speak a kind word to a stranger.
Courage to do the right thing when you could easily get by with doing the wrong thing.
Courage to put your wishes aside, putting someone else first.
Courage to keep on, and on, and on...when you know it is right, but you just want to quit.

Courage is all of that, even when you know the cost might be great. 


The only courage I have is what Jesus supplies.  There have been difficult seasons, long ones, when I was anything but courageous.  I wanted to quit, hide, and never peep out.  But knowing His exhortations to 'Fear not!', and knowing that He is God and I am not, I managed prayerfully to keep walking. 

Courage to stop the knee jerk reactions and pray before uttering a word.
Courage to reel my thoughts back in, taking each one captive to Christ instead of letting then run fearfully wild.
Courage to accept the situations of today, prayerfully waiting, but ready to act in faith.


Today I am thankful for courage, and I am especially thankful for the One who provides it.  I sure don't have much of my own.

Beauty

Thankful Challenge #2
November 2, 2018

I am thankful for beauty. All sorts.

A sunrise, and sunset.
Springtime flowers.
Autumn foliage.
Snow covered landscapes.
Rivers.


Jewelry.
Nice fabrics.
Clothing.

Tapestry.
Woodwork.
Leathers.

Music.
Voices and harmony.

I could sit here too long making lists.

Today, I purposed myself to stop and be thankful for all the beautiful things in my life.

From a baby's sweet smile to the toothless smile of Abby the Spoonlady.
From the colors of spring to the stark beauty of leafless trees in winter.


I am thankful God has granted me the eyes to behold it, in all the unexpected places.  I want to see every single one as the gift it is.

Today.

And every single day I am given.

Thankful For Security

Today is November 1, 2018.  I sit with a laptop in a dry warm house, with a coffee cup, and a sleeping snoring dog beside me, trying to decide what to choose first to be thankful for.

My thoughts go to my husband, who provided the security I enjoy as I write this.  

Our home is simple, but it is ours, and he paid every payment. 

He keeps us warm with the firewood he cuts and splits.  

The roof is secure and keeps the rain out so that we are dry.

I have never had the slightest concern that we could lose our home. 

And I have never had the slightest concern that I could lose him.  

I am secure in his love and commitment to me.  

I think of Jesus, who provided my eternal security.  

For many years I did not feel secure. I knew the story of His birth and His death, I knew the facts about sin and its consequences. I know I am not perfect as He is, I am a sinner.  I tried hard to get myself cleaned up, act right, and do right. My attempts failed over and over, leaving me fearful of eternal punishment for things I simply could not fix.  

One day, I just said "I can't do it".  

One day, I couldn't find words to pray other than "Help me."

And you know what....?  He did. 

Today I am thankful for my security. 

The security of my husband's love, the man who provided the comfort I enjoy at this moment.  The man whose concern for me rises above the concern for himself.  The man who checks on me multiple times a day as I recover from the episode with my heart.  The man who lives the simplest life he can, so we can live in security. 

I am thankful for being secure in the love of my God and my Savior Jesus Christ, whose concern for me was so important that He chose to enter humanity, live a simple and sinless life, just so we can live in security. 

I am thankful for security.  I have not known the difference in regard to my husband's love, but I should not take it for granted. 

I have known the difference in being secure in my eternal salvation.  It is a precious thing to me. I never want to miss an opportunity to be thankful to Him for it, nor an opportunity to share the truth about His love and the security He offers. 

Thankful Day 1 in 2018

Thanksgiving is days away.  Yesterday, I saw stacks of merchandise in the grocery store aisles, all ingredients for the kind of cooking we do at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I added a few of them to my cart, preparing for what I might want to cook when the time arrives. 


I have done this a couple years before.  My Facebook memories reminded me of it today.  I think of it as on purpose thankfulness.

Every day, I purpose to stop and consider what I am thankful for.  NOT a broad, 'thankful for my family'...not that I am not super thankful for my family, I am. But, I purpose to stop and consider the 'what' I am thankful for, and the 'why' I am thankful for it also. 

Will you join me?  If not publicly, then at least privately.  Consider it a challenge and an exercise to examine your life and your attitude.  You may discover just how good God has been to you.  I expect you know it in your head, but counting blessings like this makes us know it in our hearts. 

When you find your thankful thing, ask yourself 'why?'  Not once, but continue to ask that question with each answer to the 'why?' .

For example: Thankful for your health?  Why?  So you can enjoy life.. Why?  So you can work your job.. Why? So you can support your family.. Why?  On and on....




Now....I will be contemplating my thankfulness for Day 1 for 2018. 

I will let you in on it later.......