Re: THE THANKSGIVING TIE

Admin Wed 26 Nov 2014, 10:06 pm

Mary-Ellen's Note

"Now thank we all our God, With heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done. In whom His world rejoices;
Who from our mother's arms Hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, And still is ours today."

First verse of "Now Thank We All Our God," words by Martin Rinkart; music
arranged by Johann Cruger, based on Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy from
FAVORITE HYMNS OF PRAISE, Standard Publishing, 1985.

We do thank our God with our spirits, our actions, and our verbal praise. Many days our mornings begin with prayers and devotions, rejoicing in the God who gives us life, breath, and motive for filling our days with worthwhile activities. Our inner life of thought, emotion, soul, and spirit carries the seeds of faith and redemption. The Holy Spirit guides and informs our inner being, and we feel comfort in the Presence. We rejoice in the gift of song. ("With heart and hands and voices")

We praise and thank God for the beauty of creation--earth and skies and universe; people, creatures, and nature. We marvel at the beauties of nature in every season; we enjoy our pets and the animals inhabiting this planet. We are grateful for the quiet interventions that bring blessing and protection and stand in awe of the mysterious ways in which God works, bringing small miracles in everyday living--the answers to prayer.
("Who wondrous things hath done. In whom His world rejoices;")

We know we were loved even before our birth, and we are very thankful for the parents who nurtured us and the God who protected and guided us on our way. With every stage of life, with triumphs and defeats, problems and solutions, happiness and sadness, we know that the Lord God is with us. We know that He yearns for us to be the best we can be and for His love to complete the person we were always meant to be. ("Who from our mother's arms hath blessed us on our way")

Looking back over the years, we are grateful for the many blessings of love and assurance that have filled our lives with encouragement and beauty. The love that finds a way when we think there is no way to be found. The love that opens doors and eases our way. The love that brings us family and friends, Christian fellowship, and developing talents that enrich our lives. (With countless gifts of love...")

YES! NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD!

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations."
Psalm 100: 4-5 (NIV)

…..Mary-Ellen Grisham, Eternal Ink (eternallyours8@yahoo.com) by way of “Christian Voices” (ChristianVoices@att.net)

Admin Wed 26 Nov 2014, 10:03 pm

THE THANKSGIVING TIE

"Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright
shall dwell in thy presence." Psalm 140:13

What is your thanksgiving tied to? What is the foundation upon which it is based? I am so thankful for the blessings that the Lord has sent, and sends, my way. I never want to take them for granted. I want to exhibit a thankful heart to Him for them. He has blessed me with so much - a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food on my table, a loving family, dear friends, health and air to breathe. I am thankful for these and more blessings. But my thanksgiving is not tied to my material/physical blessings.

If your thanksgiving is tied to your blessings only, what do you do if those blessings are gone? What if you didn't have those things anymore? What if you found yourself destitute of earthly provisions, material things or close relationships? How thankful would you be if all these blessings disappeared from your life?
This is why, although we should be thankful for the blessings we see, they are not the foundation upon which our thanksgiving is based. I am thankful for something greater, something eternal -- my thanksgiving is tied to the cross, not material blessings.
Treasures on earth may slip away, but treasures in heaven are eternal. And those treasures were provided through the shed blood of Jesus at the cross. So what is your thanksgiving tied to? Your material blessings or the cross which provided your eternal
blessings?
Have a great day. My thanksgiving has its foundation in the cross. What about yours?

…..Coffee Break by Lorraine Ezell (mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net) by way of Cup O’Cheer (cheer316@sc.rr.com) and “Christian Voices” (ChristianVoices@att.net)