Psalm 106:1
We will celebrate
and praise you, Lord!
You are good to us,
and your love never fails.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Today, I thought about a dear lady in our community who was laid to rest yesterday. Mrs. Wanda was beautiful…inside and out. Yet every time I encountered her, she would say, “You look so pretty” and make me feel like a million bucks! I actually tried to “beat her to the punch” a couple of times…but you had to be pretty darn quick! And she didn’t just toss out compliments to be friendly…she always went on to express genuine interest…she really wanted to know how I was doing and what was new in my life. So when I thanked God this morning for my blessings, encounters with Mrs. Wanda were among them.
At the other end of the spectrum…I also thanked God today for a newborn baby boy named Max. His parents, Courtney and Aaron, brother Clark and sister Chloe welcomed him into this world today, and I know that he will be blessed – and a blessing. Max’s parents are Sunday school teachers for our niece, Zola…and last year our nephew Timothy was in their class. Courtney and Aaron are so kind and loving – and I know they love God and want to share Him with the little ones. So I know that Max will grow up in a Christian home and become a wonderful asset to our church family. And I thanked God for healthy babies and loving parents who nurture them…and their peers.
I also thanked God today for a lady who has been something of “another mother” to me for most of my life. I shared a phone visit with “Dot” – the mother of my childhood friend, Martha. Dot was one of my Girl Scout leaders, and she has just always been in my corner. We see each other at church, and we visit by phone every couple of months to “catch up” on what is happening in our lives and the community at large. She is one of my “go-to” people for advice on everything from cooking and sewing to ministry…and her demonstration of faithfulness and service to others truly encourages and motivates me.
There’s no place like your local Wal-Mart to meet up with old friends and share a few minutes of conversation…and today was no exception for me. I not only bumped into my mother-in-law, but I also visited with Kathryn, another classmate’s mother who is a long-time friend…a former co-worker - Ramona…and a lady named Tommie, who was one of my Sunday school teachers when I was a child – and who has been another one of those “go-to” friends for as long as I can remember. A lady from the water aerobics class I used to attend stopped me to say “Hi” and to tell me that I am missed – and that I am welcome to join them again any time.
I waved and said “Hello” to probably a half dozen other acquaintances and friends, exchanged pleasantries with the clerk who checked my groceries – and wished me a Happy Thanksgiving - and I left with a spring in my step and a smile on my face. There was a cold, brisk wind, but the sun was shining brightly as I loaded groceries into the car. I thanked God for dear friends, for money to buy the things that I had purchased, for a good car to get me where I needed to go – and gas to power it – and a zillion other things, both named and unspoken.
The bottom line is that in life and death and every season in between…from year to year and one holiday to the next…we have so much to celebrate – so many reasons to praise God. Not every day is filled with extraordinary blessings. Some days, we move along with our routine, and everything seems to be fairly “normal” – maybe even mundane. Sometimes, our days are filled with troubles, headaches and heartaches at every turn, and it’s hard to even SEE the blessings! But they are always there…just the same.
Every day, there is some reason to celebrate and praise God. Some days, you may have to dig a little deeper than others…but the reasons for gratitude are there. And if you think about it a little, I bet you can name more than a few people who God has placed in your life to bless, encourage and nurture you in some way…not because you are a family member and/or they feel an obligation – but because God has filled them with a deep and abiding love and care for you.
I challenge you to find someone and/or something to thank God for every single day. I’m talking about the extras…the blessings that you might not even consider all that often that enrich your life in ways you don’t even realize. Thank God for these, along with the things you normally list…but this time, ponder each blessing and truly offer up genuine gratitude. Let Him know that you appreciate how deeply He cares for you…profoundly enough to put these people and experiences in your life for enhancement and added “oomph”! Celebrate just how good God is to you…how unfailing His love is…and how He is always working on new ways to fill your life with blessings and joy.
We tend to rattle off a list of things for which we are grateful with little to no real consideration for them. Let’s change that today. Let’s examine our blessings – all of them – a little more closely…and truly celebrate God with some genuine praise. It’s about time…wouldn’t you agree?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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