Thankful.  Click to watch/ listen:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBEI1F22uqE

"Some days we forget to look around us?                                                 Some days we can't see the joy that surrounds us.                                       So caught up inside ourselves, we take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for?what we know can be . . .                                    And on this day we hope for?what we still can't see

It's up to us to be the change?and even though we all can still do more. . . There's so much to be thankful for

Look beyond ourselves, there's so much sorrow.                                  It's way too late to say, I'll cry tomorrow.                                                 Each of us must find our truth … we're so long overdue.

So for tonight we pray for ?what we know can be? and every day we hope for ?what we still can't see                                                                    It's up to us to be the change ?and even though we all can still do more?. . . There's so much to be thankful for

Even with our differences? there is a place we're all connected.  Each of us can find each others’ light So for tonight we pray for?what we know can be . . .?And on this day we hope for ?what we still can't see                                                            It's up to us to be the change ?and even though this world needs so much more,?There's so much to be thankful for . . .”¹

How I love this time of year, and how right that it starts with a time of thankfulness!

We ought indeed be a thankful people; our God is alive, Friends!  He is moving and wants to be a part of  whatever we set our hands to do. Paul stressed the importance and value of giving ‘thanks’ to God.  In the last ten years, ‘gratitude’ has been en vogue—though not necessarily gratefulness expressed to God.  May I ask you, how often do you cast your eyes heavenward and say, ‘God, thank you for ____’, or ‘O God, you are so good;   I am so thankful for your constant love, for the hope and promise of Heaven, for the word that you wrote to us, for answered prayer, for your desire to be in our lives …’

Which reminds me . . . we regularly pray ‘please be with us,’ but it is a rather silly expression, as God promised he ‘would never leave or forsake us’.²   Let’s be intentional and change our prayers to “God, you promised that you are with me, so please remind me to be with you.  Indeed you are with us, and desire only that WE be with you!  O God, this is just one more way that you are so good to us.  Thank you, thank you!” 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.³

Oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good, and his steadfast love endures forever!⁴

Count me thankful!

 ^Christine

^{1 – “Thankful” by Josh Groban, from Noel}

^{2 – Hebrews 13.5}

^{3 – James 1.17}

^{4 – Psalm 107.1}