I still can’t believe we’re only a week away from Thanksgiving. Where did the month of November go? I distinctly remember Mom saying when I was a little girl, “When you’re young, Christmas, the holidays and your birthday seem to roll around slowly and take forever to get here. But when you’re older, Christmas, your birthday and the holidays come around far too quickly!” Mom was right. Time seems to be at warp speed at this stage of my life.
In years past, Thanksgiving has rolled around without me pausing until the actual day to think of all my blessings. This year, I’ve been more intentional. We’ve implemented a few ideas that I thought I’d pass on in case you might want to do in your family for next year. I’d love to hear any ideas you’d like to share that could benefit the rest of us.
- On our family group text, we’re taking turns sending a Bible verse for the day. It doesn’t need to be Thanksgiving-related. We just send one that the Holy Spirit puts on our heart. Then we add one thing we’re thankful for…it can be related to the verse or totally random. I love this idea as it’s a fabulous way to start each day! Plus, each family member’s personality comes out in the verses he/she chooses, as well as the grateful items. Sometimes the verse or the grateful items are ones I never would’ve thought of or chosen. Other times, it’s amazing how “in sync” we can be. My hubby chose a verse the other day that was the exact one I read that morning and prayed back to the Lord!!! That was uncanny! But this whole process is worth the time and effort as it makes me stop and thank the Lord for those things! In addition, I feel like this simple approach draws our family closer.
- This next idea we’ve done for too many years to count. My mom got this practice started way back when I was a little girl, as our family usually always hosted Thanksgiving. As you and yours are sitting around the table for Thanksgiving lunch with all the family, each person shares one or two things he/she is thankful for before the blessing is said. It’s just a nice tradition that we’ve managed to do every year. I have fond memories of this special tradition. It’s a little surprising sometimes what various family members will share.
- The next goal is one I haven’t managed to carry out yet. But November still has several days remaining. I plan to contact 5-7 people who have been instrumental, influential or made an impact on my life. I wish I had done this years ago as some of those special are now dead and now in heaven. I regret that I didn’t tell some of them face-to-face what each meant to me – or write a note. But with the ones who are still here, I will either call or write each a note and express my gratefulness. I’m asking God to put the people on my heart, and I’m limiting the number to keep it manageable for myself. It might be a friend from college, a former elementary/high school teacher, a Sunday School teacher, a youth minister or just a special person in my life. I’m asking God to help me be a Barnabus to these people who invested in me.
- The last one is so basic that I almost hate to mention it. I don’t know about you; we’re all different. But I prefer to get up earlier and have my devotions, Bible reading and prayer time with the Lord first thing in the morning before starting my day. I usually begin my time reading a devotion and then I pray, praising the Lord first. I choose specific attributes and try to praise Him without ASKING for anything. Following the praise time, I try to confess my sins and then I go into a time of thanking Him for blessings. I will pause here…sometimes my prayer time can go off the rails here. Why? Typically, it’s because I’m wanting to get to the interceding…praying for others and asking Him for things on my heart for a family member or friend. For this month, I’ve tried to be more intentional about making myself STOP and express my thanks before ASKING for anything. It may SOUND easy, but if I’m in a hurry to get out the door for work or something is pressing on my mind/heart that needs to be brought before the Father, WAITING and exercising self-control can be a challenge. I just pray the Lord has noticed by efforts…they sure haven’t been perfect, but I’m trying to be intentional and have a grateful heart.
This morning before church, my devotion was from the book of Luke. The passage was Luke 17:11-17. It’s a very few verses. Immediately, I was taken back to when Nathan was a little boy. We read a book based on this story and these verses. There are 10 lepers. They can’t be at home around their families; they can’t hug their children; they can’t even live at home or work. Basically, they’re all alone because of the disease of leprosy. They hear Jesus is coming by, and so they all run and ask Him to be healed. With compassion, Jesus sends them to the priest. On the way, ALL 10 are healed of their condition. I can still see the pictures in my mind from this little story book. The first few pages had pictures of these men with boils, scabs and funny-looking places on their arms, faces, legs, etc. After meeting with Jesus, as they were running to the priest, their skin was blemish-free. It was a stark contrast!! And one my young son always picked up on and got excited about!! But the point of the story, as well as the verses from the Bible, was that only ONE of the TEN men came back to bow at Jesus’ feet and thank Him. Nathan always loved this story. And me as well. It was a pronounced and touching reminder of what Jesus needs and desires of us. The notes in my Bible next to this passage reminded me of a sermon I once heard about this section. The nine lepers received physical healing from Jesus, but the one received physical and spiritual transformation. What a difference!
I pray I’ll always be like that one.
I want to be thankful and grateful to The Healer and The Giver vs. just wanted a gift or a miracle.
I’m thinking of each of you and am thankful you tune in and read my attempts at a blog. I pray you’re enjoying a blessed THANKSgiving!
Laura's Lines 