The role of gratitude in a believer's life is crucial, and a thankful attitude is a moment by moment disposition which we are all called to display every day, in every situation. "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)
There is a definite link between peace and thankfulness. The ability to cease from complaining and to start living in appreciation for our blessings, brings untold joy and contentment. As Oswald Chambers points out in "My Utmost for His Highest," our state of mind is something we must always guard:
"What we must beware of is not damage to our belief in God, but damage to our Christian disposition or state of mind. . . . Our state of mind is powerful in its effects. It can be the enemy that penetrates right into our soul and distracts our mind from God. There are certain attitudes we should never dare to indulge. If we do, we will find they have distracted us from faith in God. . .
"Beware of 'the cares of this world . . .' (Mark 4:19). They are the very things that produce the wrong attitudes in our soul. It is incredible what enormous power there is in simple things to distract our attention away from God. Refuse to be swamped by the cares of this world."
Thankfulness is a state of mind which must be cultivated and tended to with great diligence. The "weeds" in life -- worry, sadness, sickness, trials, temptations and more -- threaten to creep in and choke out the peace and joy which result from always seeking to find the very best in every person and every situation, without complaint or criticism.
Beyond the food and family gatherings which typically mark the Thanksgiving holiday, let's all strive every day to count each blessing in life, and be grateful for what we have been given, rather than long for and fret over what we do not have. Being thankful is a choice we make, regardless of our circumstances.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Living Simply
During this season of the year, with its seemingly unending stream of activities, and because of my own particular place in life, I feel compelled to once again address the issue of simplicity, something I talk a lot about.
I am still dealing with my late parents' possessions, and now I am also packing up my 94-year-old aunt's things, as she has decided she needs around the clock care and has entered a skilled nursing facility. All of this has me thinking again about what is truly lasting and of value, as I believe our attitude toward material possessions is one of the most important aspects of spiritual growth.
When the things we own are dear to us, other areas of our lives will suffer, because ownership is time-consuming. As we work to acquire more and more, we also must extend great amounts of our time and resources to store and/or maintain what we have. If we are not diligent, it is easy enough to let what we have start defining who we are; we may even think we have value because we own things of value. This, of course, is not the case and is in direct opposition to the teachings and example of Jesus, who apparently had few possessions and certainly didn't seem to care much about what he did own.
In fact, Jesus says in Luke 12:33-34, "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Letting go of the hold which possessions have on our lives is an important step in realizing and putting into practice the notion that God alone should be a believer's one true desire. The freedom which comes from seeing what surrounds us as being only temporary brings a sense of contentment that allows us to relax and enjoy a lifestyle which is much less hurried and harried and more focused on treasures, such as love, hope and faith, which will not decay with time.
Here's wishing for a happy, simple holiday season for us all.
I am still dealing with my late parents' possessions, and now I am also packing up my 94-year-old aunt's things, as she has decided she needs around the clock care and has entered a skilled nursing facility. All of this has me thinking again about what is truly lasting and of value, as I believe our attitude toward material possessions is one of the most important aspects of spiritual growth.
When the things we own are dear to us, other areas of our lives will suffer, because ownership is time-consuming. As we work to acquire more and more, we also must extend great amounts of our time and resources to store and/or maintain what we have. If we are not diligent, it is easy enough to let what we have start defining who we are; we may even think we have value because we own things of value. This, of course, is not the case and is in direct opposition to the teachings and example of Jesus, who apparently had few possessions and certainly didn't seem to care much about what he did own.
In fact, Jesus says in Luke 12:33-34, "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Letting go of the hold which possessions have on our lives is an important step in realizing and putting into practice the notion that God alone should be a believer's one true desire. The freedom which comes from seeing what surrounds us as being only temporary brings a sense of contentment that allows us to relax and enjoy a lifestyle which is much less hurried and harried and more focused on treasures, such as love, hope and faith, which will not decay with time.
Here's wishing for a happy, simple holiday season for us all.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Having an Anchor
This is a summary of what's been going on in my family's life in the past three weeks:
1. We went on an actual "get-out-of-town" for nine days vacation (which we have not done in several years.) The trip included my husband and I, our daughter (Tracy) and son-in-law (John) and our grandson (Farrand).
2. We returned on November 4 (my grandson's birthday; we got back at about 7 p.m., but managed to get a party thrown together that evening).
3. The next day Tracy and John headed off to Nebraska to spend time with John's grandmother. She had been battling cancer for several years and passed away this week, her funeral was yesterday.
4. Farrand did not go to Nebraska, so Allen and I are taking care of him and trying to keep him up-to-date with his schoolwork. (He is homeschooled; Allen has been managing the lessons.) I'm not sure when Tracy and John will get back.
5. The West Plains High School fall play started at the Avenue Theatre on Thursday and runs through this afternoon. As the Theatre's Executive Director (a job description which is very broad and includes things like running the concession stand and making sure it has adequate supplies), I have been there for every performance, but so has my husband and grandson because usually our daughter helps with events, and, as noted above, she is out of town. (So thankful for Abby Corman, who has also been helping.) Allen sold popcorn on his birthday (yesterday).
6. I am also working on the details of a play I am directing which opens three weeks from yesterday.
7. The Theatre's annual "Assumption Abbey Fruit cake" fund-raiser is now underway. (Allen and I drove over to pick up the cakes on Tuesday afternoon.)
8. On Tuesday morning, I spoke (briefly) at a breakfast fellowship. It started at 7:30. I had planned to be there early (thankfully) because I had a flat tire on the way, and Allen had to rescue me, by bringing me another vehicle...I was only a few minutes late.
9. My 94-year-old aunt was hospitalized for two days and subsequently decided to move to a nursing home. As her only nearby relative, the task of boxing up and dealing with her possessions has fallen to me -- she was never married and has no children. I have to have her apartment cleaned out by the end of November, and am treading lightly, so as not to get rid of anything she still wants.
10. I am continuing to work my part-time hours at the university.
There are probably a few more things I could add (I did manage to only miss one column/blog during all of that), but that's the gist of it.
I have not mentioned all of these things to elicit any "Wow, Terry you are so busy" comments, or to seek a pat on the back. I know there are many of my friends who lead similarly hectic lives in addition to having many complicating factors which I am so blessed to not be dealing with.
I mention these things because I so grateful our family has God as our anchor. I sit here peacefully on a Sunday morning, not stressing about the days and weeks ahead (because they promise to be equally full of activities and perhaps a few surprises), and I know I am only able to find that peace because of the hope I have in God and his promises.
Hebrews 6:19: "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast..."
I sure wouldn't want to be in the boat I'm in without God as my anchor! Peace and blessings to you all.
1. We went on an actual "get-out-of-town" for nine days vacation (which we have not done in several years.) The trip included my husband and I, our daughter (Tracy) and son-in-law (John) and our grandson (Farrand).
2. We returned on November 4 (my grandson's birthday; we got back at about 7 p.m., but managed to get a party thrown together that evening).
3. The next day Tracy and John headed off to Nebraska to spend time with John's grandmother. She had been battling cancer for several years and passed away this week, her funeral was yesterday.
4. Farrand did not go to Nebraska, so Allen and I are taking care of him and trying to keep him up-to-date with his schoolwork. (He is homeschooled; Allen has been managing the lessons.) I'm not sure when Tracy and John will get back.
5. The West Plains High School fall play started at the Avenue Theatre on Thursday and runs through this afternoon. As the Theatre's Executive Director (a job description which is very broad and includes things like running the concession stand and making sure it has adequate supplies), I have been there for every performance, but so has my husband and grandson because usually our daughter helps with events, and, as noted above, she is out of town. (So thankful for Abby Corman, who has also been helping.) Allen sold popcorn on his birthday (yesterday).
6. I am also working on the details of a play I am directing which opens three weeks from yesterday.
7. The Theatre's annual "Assumption Abbey Fruit cake" fund-raiser is now underway. (Allen and I drove over to pick up the cakes on Tuesday afternoon.)
8. On Tuesday morning, I spoke (briefly) at a breakfast fellowship. It started at 7:30. I had planned to be there early (thankfully) because I had a flat tire on the way, and Allen had to rescue me, by bringing me another vehicle...I was only a few minutes late.
9. My 94-year-old aunt was hospitalized for two days and subsequently decided to move to a nursing home. As her only nearby relative, the task of boxing up and dealing with her possessions has fallen to me -- she was never married and has no children. I have to have her apartment cleaned out by the end of November, and am treading lightly, so as not to get rid of anything she still wants.
10. I am continuing to work my part-time hours at the university.
There are probably a few more things I could add (I did manage to only miss one column/blog during all of that), but that's the gist of it.
I have not mentioned all of these things to elicit any "Wow, Terry you are so busy" comments, or to seek a pat on the back. I know there are many of my friends who lead similarly hectic lives in addition to having many complicating factors which I am so blessed to not be dealing with.
I mention these things because I so grateful our family has God as our anchor. I sit here peacefully on a Sunday morning, not stressing about the days and weeks ahead (because they promise to be equally full of activities and perhaps a few surprises), and I know I am only able to find that peace because of the hope I have in God and his promises.
Hebrews 6:19: "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast..."
I sure wouldn't want to be in the boat I'm in without God as my anchor! Peace and blessings to you all.
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