Sometimes it's easy to be grateful on Thanksgiving

Today was one of those days when it seemed easy to be grateful.

I write that at the end of the day. Thinking back, I remember how tired I was when the alarm went off. I didn't get up right away and ended up being late to my first destination.

I'm grateful that even as I was feeling tired and almost depressed in the days before and even the early hours of this Thanksgiving Day, I kept leaning into lessons I've been learning through Scripture reading, prayer and Bible study about the importance of giving thanks in all things.

The Lord's Prayer and the 23rd Psalm helped me focus on God's promises as well as some of what He desires from me. 

No day -- Thanksgiving or any other -- will be perfect. I'm grateful circumstances don't have to be ideal for gratitude and blessings to be shared. Smiles and kindness seem to nurture goodness.

I hope and pray this Thanksgiving Day was a time for all to recognize and count their blessings. I'm grateful that it was for me.

Ten years and still searching, with hope and gratitude

Facebook reminded me that this is the 10th anniversary of my first post on the That's the Spirit blog.

After all that time, I still have no clue what I'm doing.

I just know I'm unwilling to stop.

And, considering it is the month of Thanksgiving, I'm grateful I don't have to have a purpose or plan. I can just do it. And that was one of my incentives from the start.

Just for today, the time change is a blessing

Today I'm grateful the clocks fall back an hour as Daylight Saving Time comes to an end. I need that extra sleep. 

I hope and pray I will remember to be grateful when night comes way too early tomorrow.

Mysteries of faith and gratitude

Near the end of this busy, sometimes stressful Nov. 1, I was overcome with gratitude.

 

While walking on the treadmill to relax (does anyone else do that?) before eating a late evening meal, I had a moment of understanding of how God uses our faith and gratitude.

 

Today's Upper Room daily devotional, which I read as I tread, brought this into focus. Writing with an All Saints' Day theme, Wayne Greenawalt referenced how we can probably "name someone who has showed us an example of great faith in the face of trials. They bear witness to us that God can see us through no matter how trying our circumstances."

 

It helped me think of how I’ve been inspired by people who praise God and count their blessings amid devastating trials. I also thought of a few times when I've seen God use me when I’ve had moments of that kind of faith.

 

The reading and All Saints' Day made me think of the "cloud of witnesses" the Apostle Paul describes in Hebrews 12 and 13. 

 

I thought about those moments when tricky verses of Scripture, such as some of the passages in Psalm 91 (including where the words seem to promise long life and freedom for harm for believers), either make sense or don't have to make sense, when my focus and faith are steadfastly on God.

 

The thoughts came into focus toward the end of my day that included:

 

-- A Christian funeral, requested before his death, for a Jewish man greatly influenced by the faith and witness of his wife, their daughter and friends, including during the time they attended the church where I am a member. 

 

-- A church bazaar that keeps going even though the number of people willing to commit to help seems to dwindle year after year. I saw more clearly than ever that just as important as the money raised for mission work is the vital work of love, relationship, hospitality, graciousness, kindness, support, faith, encouragement — I could go on and on — among church members, vendors and shoppers.

 

-- A completely unexpected thank-you note from faraway friends of a mutual friend with whom I've been visiting to offer encouragement and support while she is in extended care and uncertain health following medical treatment.

 

-- A realization a second attempt at a garage door repair could wait until Monday.

 

-- Craziness with coins at turnpike toll booths.

 

It occurred to me that some people each November practice a month of thanksgiving. They post to social media each day something for which they are thankful. Might I do that this year? I've never succeeded before even though I've always liked the idea. Maybe this will be the year!

It occurs to me that may have been the thought that sent me into a bit of distracted behavior (compulsive overeating) that momentarily derailed all of the positive feelings I described above. Another contributing factor (in addition to tiredness; a runny nose and sore throat I hope is from allergies, triggered by standing for an hour in the Oklahoma wind at a graveside service, and not a cold; and a messy kitchen) was the thought that this might be something I could write about on my blog.

Fortunately, except for not being able to escape physical discomfort of crazy eating, I was able to rise above the regret, frustration and confusion of my binge by writing and praying -- and getting to the computer to follow through with this expression of thanksgiving and gratitude.

It's another moment where it doesn't have to make sense. I thank God for the promises of His Word.

Busy times leave no time for writing.
It's better to be busy even if I won't remember what I've done if I don't write about it.

Not one bit of Halloween observance on my part.

Just prayer and presence. And lots of gratitude.

Perfect Timing for a Soul Reset

I knew this was coming. I was enjoying the Rev. Desi Sharp's sermon series based on the book Soul Reset. The book and her sermons include suggested actions to take, and many have helped me get out of my comfort zone.

I'm not sure I'm ready for this week's.

The spiritual discipline is fasting. I felt certain it would include food. When it showed up Sunday night, in time to prepare for Monday's discipline, I saw the first one would be social media.

Knowing I'd be fishing with my husband the next day, I saw little chance I would stay off social media. 

Truth is, I don’t see me fasting from food or social media for a whole day any time soon. Perhaps I’ll consider giving up a favorite food and some habitual aspect of social for the week. I’ll definitely need to pray about this!! (I also need to listen to the Goodrich UMC livestream for Desi’s sermon. Maybe she says something to make fasting seem more doable!!)

The next day was an even bigger surprise and challenge. I had known food would be one of the fast focuses one day. Words caught me by surprise!

As it turned out, I partially fasted from social media Monday, considering that Gene and I fished at Leeper and my first mention of it on Facebook was Tuesday morning.  (My social media presence Monday involved reading, maybe commenting and sharing things posted by others.) I suppose it helped that I didn’t catch anything and Gene only caught three. It also helps that my phone’s storage is close to capacity, without room for many more photos until I push some to other places. 

Still, awareness and prayers regarding spiritual disciplines and fasting were also factors that kept me from taking and posting selfies or photos of nature’s fall beauty, even when instead of the sunshine I faithfully awaited, we received rain. And kept on fishing!!

I pray to be willing to fully practice each of these disciplines. I just don’t think it will be this week. And a big part of my SOUL RESET is to know that’s ok. I don’t have to do this perfectly, today or ever. The goal is to grow closer and closer to Christ, to live lightly and freely with Him. Amen!

Maybe the body knows

I just reread the "Rest" post and amazed to think that was the day before we got our vaccinations for flu, shingles and tetanus. Little did I know!!!!

Maybe God was resting me up for how my body dealt with the shots.

After getting the shots, I had a couple of nights of not being able to sleep because of body aches, congestion and varying body temp. Fortunately, these were temporary.

Another interesting thing is that my post about my first-ever flu and shingles vaccinations brought an amazing number of comments (26) on Facebook.

"I got my first-ever flu and shingles vaccines yesterday, along with tetanus. Is this really better than getting the flu or shingles??? Of course I know it is, because the duration of discomfort will be much shorter. And I’m less likely to make others sick. The way I felt last night was no fun at all. The aches seem to be subsiding now."

People can really relate, and many shared their experiences and strength, as well as their best hopes for me.  I'm grateful I could report I made it through and feel much better now. And it's good to know I'm not a flu threat to others now.