Part 3: In Every Thing Give Thanks
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| Thank you, Lord, for Your blessings! |
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
God gives to us so abundantly. All He asks in return is a grateful heart.
I've passed out candy to the kids after church every week for 20 years. They line up and pick their favorites from a bag I proffer. The bag contains a variety of gum, lollipops and chocolate. Sometimes they get one piece, others two, depending on their behavior during worship service. These are good kids; they almost always get at least one piece of candy.
Some of the kids say thank you each time. Others forget. Sometimes a parent brings them back over to thank me. I don't provide candy to receive thanks; I do it for the joy on their sweet faces.
Years ago, there was a very quiet boy that came to church most every week. He sat by himself, or with his little brother. This boy kept his head down; seldom looked up and never looked anyone in the eye. He lined up every Sunday for his candy and never said a word.
I tried to draw him out. "How are you today?" I asked. The question was met with silence. After months, I made no progress. Discouragement was setting in. Then one day, a nearly imperceptible nod in response to my "Good morning!" I was greedy for more. In the following weeks, the boy slowly warmed up.
Then one day, I heard it. Barely above a whisper, he turned back, looked me in the eye and said thanks. Quick as a wink, he was gone and so was the moment. He didn't change overnight, but he did become more talkative at church and not quite so serious. Once in a while, I even caught a smile. Way too soon, he was gone. His family moved from our community.
I think about that boy once in a while, and wonder what his life is like now. I hope he has a happy life, with lots of reasons to smile. His story reminds me to always be grateful to God for the blessings He gives me.
Be grateful.
Say "thank you" to the One from whom blessings flow.
Pay it forward when you get a chance.
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Female in Motion Exercise Update: I could lie and talk about all the workouts I did, or waffle about how busy I was, but I will simply say...my heart was not in exercise last week. However, this morning I did disco aerobics for longer than I have since before cancer treatment. Yay!
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Notable Quote:
"Thankfulness is the 'chief exercise of godliness' in
which we ought to engage during the whole of our life. 'Gratitude is
the heart ... of the Christian life.'"--Unknown
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