I love friday nights when spent with God

"Be a thankful people. Let it be so much a part of you that you overflow with thankfulness!" Colossians 2:7

"The soul that gives thanks can find comfort in everything." Hannah Whitall Smith

"Through Him then, let us CONTINUALLY offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name." Hebrews 13:15

In my book for the bible study it is currently talking about how we should give thanks for everything. Truly everything.

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name." Psalms 100:4

The book discusses that an attitude of grattitude is how we come into the presence of the Lord.

Also, it described having two baskets on your counter at home, one of gratitude and one of grumbling. And it asked which one would have more in it at the end of the day. Then it told this story:

"I have in my hands two boxes that God gave me to hold. He said, 'Put all your sorrows in the black box, and all your joys in the gold.' I heeded his words, and in the two boxes both my joys and sorrows I stored. But though the gold became heavier each day, the black was as light as before. With curiosity I opened the black, I wanted to find out why, and I saw, in the base of the box, a hole which my sorrow had fallen out by. I showed the hole to God, and asked 'I wonder where my sorrows could be.' He smiled a gentle smile and said 'My child, they're all here with me.' I asked God why He gave me the boxes, the gold and the black with the hole? 'My child, the gold is for you to count your blessings, the black is for you to let go."

Matthew Henry (whoever that is) once said:
"Let me be thankful. First, because I was never robbed before. Second, because although they took my wallet, they did not take my life. Third, because although they took my all, it was not much. Fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed." And I really liked that. Because he looked at every side of that situation. I especially like his fourth reason, because that is basically thanking God for leading him down the right path in life.

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." Phillipians 4:8

I like that verse because way too often and way to easy is it to dwell on the things that didnt go quite right. But we should be dwelling on the good things.

I started (and havent been too consistent with it, but I try) and thank-you journal. And I also try to thank God for everything throughout my day. It really is helpful in finding the good in things and to not get so upset about the bad. And the one day this week that I actually did well with this, my day seemed lighter and much smoother than most other days. Truly! But really, how could it not?

Now, I'm not even a fan of this song, but I heard it this morning on the way to work and decided to just listen to the lyrics instead of thinking about how I dont like the sound. Then I realized how perfect the song is for right now. So I put the lyrics here:

33 miles -- 'thank you'

What if in morning when I wake up
Even before I fill my coffee cup
I said thank You
Thank You

What if I look at the day and the hours ahead
And before I move forward I bowed my head
And said thank You
Oh I said thank You

What if I looked at my life in a different way
Took a little more time to stop and pray
I know it would change all the moments in between
So here I go

Thank You for everything
Thank You for loving me
It doesn't even matter what tomorrow brings
Well I will sing my
Thank You for sun and rain
For what You give and take away
For all Your goodness I will always say
Thank You
Oh I'll say thank You

What if I lost everything that I had
I could smile and somehow still be glad
And say thank You
Thank you

Cause life is joy, life is pain
But the prayer on my heart will never change
I say thank You
Oh I'll say thank You.
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I always love God's brilliant timing. Happy Sabbath guys. I miss each of you very very much, and thank God for you every day!