thankful

I find life to be really fun (i.e. I am very thankful for my life). How about you?  A friend said to me—erv, hang on to your hat and enjoy the ride!!

A friend (i.e. who is full of spice) was with a group of folks for a couple of weeks traveling. She observed that the vast majority of them complained constantly (i.e. it seemed they were never happy; always bitching about something). The smaller minority were always happy and looked at the positive (i.e. they always found something to be thankful for). I can tell you which group I would enjoy being around. RickyRick says—"Humility begins by simply realizing you’re not God.”

Jon, anybody can be a Jon, says—" The prayer of desperation is for one who feels surrounded by attacks without and fears within. It reminds me of the war veteran who said, ‘There are no atheists in foxholes. Everyone prays in war.’ Desperation is often the place where prayer begins. Maybe we’re there right now. Life is hard. ‘Anxiety and vexation’ are great. There appears to be no way out. So pray.”  I suggest we give it a shot! It doesn’t cost anything and besides there is no downside at all;  (i.e. just tell God how you feel and ask for help, simple as pie). Just try humbling ourselves and let’s see what happens. It’s a form of thankfulness, my opinion. Does this sound absurd to you? Well, it is! It's much like artificial intelligence; absurd!

Sometimes we just don’t catch on! Here is a story I read:  A mother tells her five-year-old not to eat a cookie off a plate with six cookies. When she returns, she sees that two of the cookies are gone. “Didn’t I ask you not to eat a cookie?” the mom asks. “Yes,” comes the confident reply. “Then why did you disobey?” the mom asks. “I didn’t disobey. You told me not to eat one of the cookies, and I didn’t eat one; I ate two.”

Why is that most folks remember negative stuff more than the positive stuff (i.e. negative stuff sticks to us like dried up oatmeal does to my breakfast bowl). Here are some suggestions a.k.a. opportunities (i.e. they work for me): Sit down in a quiet place with a pen and paper and list all the positive stuff that has happened to us in this last week, last month, last year, and the positive stuff that has happened in our lives. Write them down and dwell on them (i.e. put those in your mind; this makes us thankful). I also suggest we don’t watch the news and do limited social media (i.e. that is my take)! I also suggest get around positive folks and limit your time around negative folks. Remember the old saying—It is a lot harder to lift someone up than to drag someone down! Make folks happy instead of sad! And don’t talk about ourselves soooo much! AverageJoe says--We are actually quite boring even though we think we are really a "supersomething!"

WorldClassLarry says--Be disciplined about what you respond and react to. Not everyone or everything deserves our time, energy, and attention. Stay in our light.

There are many ways to say thank you to folks. There are some ways that are really meaningful and unique, my opinion. Maybe one of the bravest and most important thankyous we can give is just to show up (i.e. give someone your attention)! I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it: I met a man who shared his story of how he escaped from Eastern Europe during a time when it was part of the Soviet Union. As we discussed his life as an American citizen, I asked him what he saw that troubled him about living here. He said that he could not understand the attitude here toward taking care of the elderly. He added that people here will take great care of their dogs, even allowing them to sleep at the foot of their bed, but will not even allow their elderly parents to do the same.

Here is the practical, real example of doing Thanksgiving (i.e. where the rubber hits the road, more than just talk but doing it).  Jon says—“ Many people often begin prayers in a similar way each time. One friend begins almost every prayer with “Holy God . . .” It may be from the acronym A.C.T.S. he learned decades ago. It structures prayer in the order of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. Addressing God as “Holy God” prompts my friend to begin his prayers with awe.”  Here is a simple A.C.T.S. example—Holy God, I confess I’m a sinner but am sooo thankful that you are soooo merciful and full of grace that you will forgive me; I ask for wisdom soooo I may make good decisions with my life. CoachB says—There is a time for pray and a time for action and now is the time in our lives for action. It’s time to act, it’s time to act, it’s time to act! Do it now! My Mom, Anna, would say to me—erv, the best time to do anything is now! Maybe we should thank God that we can do it now!

Pastor, author, and speaker Max Lucado has defined gratitude as this: “Be more aware of what we have than what we don’t. Recognizing the treasure in the simple—a child’s hug, fertile soil, a golden sunset. Relishing in the comfort of the common.” I like Max's thinking!  

When we get groceries, sometimes we are asked if we want plastic or paper. Soooo if we say paper some green person will criticize us for using all the trees and if we choose plastic then we will be criticized because of the oil used to make the bag and they will end up in the land fill. In WA you have to pay 8 cents per bag soooo many will bring their reusable bags but then there are folks who criticize that some 7-year-old kid in some sweat shop in a third world country is making them. We can’t seem to win! ItchieBitchie says--In my environment I see some folks who are constantly offended, always! I wonder how these folks make it through life without having a daily mental meltdown. They never have “a peace of mind” it appears, always unhappy and mad about something, like always agitated about something. Those folks just can’t be very thankful in my opinion. They just can’t be.

Billy Graham, there is only one Billy Graham, says--“We Christians should stand out like sparkling diamonds against a dark velvet background. We should be more wholesome than anyone else. We should be poised, cultured, courteous, gracious—but  firm in the things we do and do not do. We should laugh and be radiant; but we should refuse to allow the unbelieving world to pull us down to its level."  I see that in many of you, yes I do. And I like it! And in one of you not sooooo much; you know who you are! hahaha

I read in The Seattle Times that enough "thank you" is enough; enough is enough! New Zealand has a new rule at the drop off at the airport. It is “Max hug time 3 minutes.”  They are hoping that this will help the traffic jam problem at the drop site. Folks are just hugging and saying thank you for way toooo long periods of time. Saturday question—What is your average hug time?

Sometimes we just don’t catch on!  I heard this story:  An adult daughter was riding with her mother while she was driving. Her senior mother went through a red light. The daughter didn’t say anything but was wondering. Then her mother went through another red light. Soooo the daughter said to her mother, do you know you just went through two red lights?  The mother said, oh am I driving!

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of this day.” Life expectancy in the U.S. is about 78 years.

VelvetElvis says—Giving thanks to God is one of the most powerful and radical acts of expressions that will affect each one of us.

Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:

erv

MyDeceasedFriendJean said—One of the most attractive things we can wear is a smile.

P.S. Some old college friends called and were wondering if my Jeanne died as now I say MyDeceasedFriendJean when I used to say MyFriendJean. Well, they are two different Jeans. My deceased friend was MyFriendJean down the street from me in Aplingotn. My Jeanne is kicking well let me tell you. I was trying to give the credit for the sayings to the correct Jean but I’m sorry if I confused you folks. My Jeanne told me to tell you that she is doing well!