17 Days Until Thanksgiving

     With Thanksgiving just 17 days away, I must say, I am thankful for my friends; the friends I made during school which I still have, the friends on Facebook, the friends from my workplace, and the friends in my church and community.  I will admit, some are more casual acquaintances than others, but they are all willing to be prayer warriors when the need arises.
     My closest friend is Jesus.  I am so thankful that Jesus is with me at all times.  I can call upon Him at any moment of the day.  I do not know what I would do or how I would handle life situations if I did not have Him in my life.  As Proverbs 18:24 says, "One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." 
     To sum up my friendship with Jesus, nothing says it better than the lyrics to the song, "What A Friend We Have In Jesus."
    

What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
And what a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer

Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer

Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer

 

18 Days Until Thanksgivings

     With 18 more days until Thanksgiving, I am continuing the countdown and sharing some of the wonderful things for which I am thankful.
     I am so thankful for the opportunity to pray to a God who hears.  As I was studying the Book of Daniel, the author provided some insights into the power of prayer.  I know from Matthew 7:7, I am to "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:"
     The author explains that getting involved in prayer, "is not a way we get God to do what we want; prayer is a way we  get involved in what God wants." 
     The author further explains the three forms of prayer:

1. Ask: simply ask him. 
2.  Seek: that involves some investigation, study, trying to understand what God is doing. 
3.  Knock: that involves repetition, coming back again and again....We are to ask for some things, such as the things we need for personal strength --wisdom, love, power, grace. " 

     He states that "all three --ask, seek, and knock-- have the same guarantee. .. The answers are absolutely sure when prayer is made on the basis of what God has said He will do."  To quote the author, "The minute you began to pray the answer was given but delays are possible.  There are good angels of God ready to help us, but there are also evil angels, that are ready to oppose what God is doing."

     Isn't that interesting?  To sum this up with possible reasons for delayed responses is Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." 
     Yet verse 13 tells us to "Take  unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and have done all, to stand."

     The one thing I do know and have the assurance of is the fact that God is always in control and, every time I pray, peace enters my soul.  For this I am thankful. 

    

19 Day Countdown To Thanksgiving

     My mom and dad are both deceased and, not only am I thankful they are in heaven with the Lord, but I am thankful God allowed me to have such good, hard-working parents who feared Him and raised me in His word.  When I think of my parents, I cannot help but consider the forgiveness of the father to the son found in Luke 15 when the prodical son returned home.  His father ran to meet him, kissed him, and called for a celebration.
     No matter how mean, selfish, or rebellious I was growing up, my parents always showed me love, just as I know my heavenly Father does the same, and so much more.  When I earnestly pray and humbly ask forgiveness, I know my heavenly Father wraps me in His arms and forgives me just as my parents did. 
     I was taught to love others, my family, and God.  For this, I am so thankful, and am reminded of Hebrews 13:1-2  "Let brotherly love continue.  Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

20 Days To Thanksgiving

     During my count down to Thanksgiving, I am so thankful that I have the privilege to live in American where I have the freedom to make choices, realizing that my choices effect and shape my life.  I am so very thankful I have the freedom to pray and worship God, and that I have chosen to accept Jesus into my heart. 
     In considering choices, I found a few quotes from others that correctly expresses my thoughts.

"Your life is a result of choices you made.  If you don't like your life, it's time to start making better choices."

"We make our choices, then our choices make us."

"May your choices reflect your hope, not your fears."

"Life is defined by the choices you make, so make the right ones."

"I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday."

     Then here's a prayer I found which further expresses my thoughts.

"Dear Lord,
     Lead me to make choices that bring your glory and allow me to experience the life you intended me to live."

Joshua 24:15 "And if it seem evil unto you to share the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve: Whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

 

21 days to Thanksgiving

    This is a continuation of my thankfulness through Thanksgiving...
     I have a habit of coming up with all kinds of projects here in "A Friendly Shade."  So today, I'm so thankful for a spouse who is not only kind, thoughtful, and considerate, but who willingly assists me in getting my projects completed.  When he tells me, "No more projects,"  I have no doubt that he will remain supportive when another one develops and will be busy helping me develop the best method to get the project completed properly.          
     My husband truly practices the love given in 1st Corinthians 13:5-7 "Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered.  It keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  I am so thankful for his loving ways.

22 Days Until Thanksgiving

With it being 22 Days Until Thanksgiving, I am continuing my challenge to do the Thanksgiving countdown by providing at least one thing I have to be thankful for every day. 

Today, I am thankful for teachers who are willing to work and give more time to their jobs than most people ever realize in order to educate our children; children who will be the future leaders of America.  Hopefully we will always be "one nation under God."  It is my prayer that God will be returned to the classroom and to the family home and dinner table.  
 

Leviticus 10:11  "And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses."

23 Days Until Thanksgiving

23 Days until Thanksgiving:

      The Christmas countdown usually begins right after or even before Thanksgiving.  In fact Thanksgiving is fast becoming the forgotten holiday.  More and more people are dressing up for Halloween and ensuring that their children share in the activities of  October 31, and then they jump right into Christmas decorating, the frantic buying process of purchasing gifts, and all the glitz and glamour that goes along with Christmas festivities.   
     What has happened to the history and the joy of Thanksgiving?  Sure, everyone wants the holiday, but do we miss the mark on sharing what Thanksgiving is all about?  Are we continuing to teach our children about the Pilgrims and how they prayed to God for their abundant harvest which, in all actuality, was not the abundance of food we see on tables today?

      In light of my thoughts here in "A Friendly Shade" regarding Thanksgiving,  I am proposing to share what I am thankful for daily during this countdown to Thanksgiving.

Today, I am thankful for those in professions who provide healthcare to those in need; those who are willing to step out of their complacent zones to search for answers to those who need healing.