Category: Thankful

11/27/2024 0 Comments

Grace-Caused Thanksgiving

Ron York

Dad is bedridden now, and most days, unable to feed himself, requiring care 24/7. Yet despite increased dementia and limited capacity, he smilingly answers simple questions, and his appreciation flows naturally toward those assisting him. He knows and sings the words of Amazing Grace with closed eyes and a swaying head. His eyes twinkle as he joins me in singing the Marine Corps Hymn. A peace within him resonates with the words Paul shared with the Corinthian believers.

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8/23/2024 1 Comment

A Crime More Despicable

Meditation
1 Samuel 25:2,3--A man in Maon had a business in Carmel; he was a very rich man with 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats and was shearing his sheep in Carmel. The man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name, Abigail. The woman was intelligent and beautiful, but the man, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.

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2/24/2024 0 Comments

Giving Glory to God

This year, I bought a journal and am using it to develop my prayer life. I’ve divided it into sections for praise, thanksgiving, prayer for friends and family, prayer for those who don’t know the Lord, personal requests, ministry, etc. Psalm 71:14, 15 says, “But I will hope continually and will praise You more and more. My mouth will tell about Your righteousness and Your salvation all day long, though I cannot sum them up.” This verse is recorded at the top of page 6 of my journal to remind me of things to praise God. So far, I have 54 items, which is on pace for one topic per day. Page 7 continues with Psalm 146:2—“I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I live.” I start with these two pages daily because they set the tone of praise and remind me of what is most important in life—God!

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12/31/2022 1 Comment

Schlep Naches

Schlep naches is a Yiddish phrase that means “deriving pleasure from the achievement of others.” In her book, The Myths of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomisrsky wrote:
The surprising finding is that the closest, most intimate, and most trusting relationships appear to be distinguished not by how the partners respond to each other’s disappointments, losses, and reversals but how they react to good news. Flourishing relationships have been revealed to be those in which the couple responds “actively and constructively”—that is, with interest and delight—to each other’s windfalls and successes . . . Both men and women who say that their partners respond in this “active-constructive” way report the highest levels of satisfaction, trust, and intimacy in their relationships.

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11/23/2022 0 Comments

Beating Mediocrity

Janet has her own cleaning service; for years, she had no trouble gaining enough clients to run a successful business because of her work quality. As her business expanded, she hired another worker, and that’s when the problems began. When Janet cleans a room, it is immaculate, but with her new employee Justin, it was not the same. She showed him the cleaning materials to use and demonstrated what “right looks like.” At first, she thought his cleaning lapses merely required on-the-spot corrections. But Justin’s work continually languished. He responded with excuses when she would point out deficiencies rather than learn and improve. After three frustrating months, she had to let him go.

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9/19/2022 1 Comment

Inheritance

News flash—there was an attack by a Demon Assault Team (DAT) in heaven today, which wiped out an entire wing of the Central Automation Records Division (CARD) that contained the Book of Life (BoL) and the computerized records of those who are to receive a heavenly inheritance. Michael led a task force of angels that was able to wipe out the DAT, but the CARD facility was severely damaged, and the Book of Life (BoL) was badly compromised. It would seem that Satan hoped to disrupt God’s eternal life reward plan for His saints.

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1/28/2022 0 Comments

The Benefit of Help

Jennifer was suffering. Her finances languished after months of just getting past too many bills. Her favorite dog, Lightning, a family fixture for thirteen years, passed away. Her job required her to be vaccinated but she was allergic to the ingredients of the shot. Despite her doctor’s note exempting her, she was getting hassled by her coworkers. Yesterday her car broke down. Just how was she supposed to pay her mechanic for this unexpected disaster?

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11/24/2020 1 Comment

Thankful

It will go down in history as perhaps mankind’s most bizarre year. Never has the entire globe in unison shut down because of a virus. Restrictions in travel, work, recreation, size of gatherings etc., have ruined businesses, increased the number of suicides and deaths for those with other ailments who cannot be hospitalized, amped fear to unprecedented levels, and created a huge divide in opinion over what should or should not be done. Meanwhile political unrest, rolling waves of violence, storms and disasters add to the cacophony of 2020.

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11/29/2019 0 Comments

The Blessing of Inconvenience

The roads were a mess after over a foot of snow fell on the Rockies so I had to be careful driving to the Urgent Care facility. It was not the way I wanted to spend Thanksgiving morning but with a sinus infection and an international trip only two days away I knew I needed to get medicine—fast! The clinic near our house was closed but a sign outside gave an address and time for the only operational urgent care in Colorado Springs. So I drove there. A friendly staff efficiently processed me and I was impressed with the care I received. Unfortunately, only one drug store was open where I could get a prescription filled and it was nowhere near home. But, it was open and that was amazing. Ninety minutes later I was home with my prescription.

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7/12/2019 0 Comments

Gratitude

Meditation
Colossians 3:16--Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God.

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12/31/2016 0 Comments

Finishing Well

Meditation
Psalm 20:4—May He give you what your heart desires and fulfill your whole purpose.

Whenever a new year approaches there is for many people a sense of optimism. Yes, now I can start afresh. Yes, perhaps this next year will be a better year. Yes, finally the hardships or struggles of this past season may come to an end. But beginning afresh requires finishing the old year well. Very rarely, if ever, can you have one without the other.

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10/4/2015 0 Comments

If He Did What We Deserve

For ten days I underwent training to be an assessor as part of my responsibilities for a new job I will be taking with the military. By Friday night of the second week I was exhausted. This job is intense because it requires me (when I am on call) to make a final recommendation to senior U.S. or Canadian leaders at the critical point of what appears to be an enemy attack. Because I have no experience in aviation, I have to learn new terminology and methodologies in order to make key decisions for terrible contingencies that can occur rapidly.

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11/29/2013 0 Comments

Day After Thanksgiving

Meditation
Psalm 108:3-5—I will praise You, LORD, among the people; I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your faithful love is higher than the heavens, and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. God, be exalted above the heavens, and let Your glory be over the whole earth.

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8/30/2012 0 Comments

Letter to You

Meditation
1 Thessalonians 1:2—We always thank God for all of you, remembering you constantly in our prayers.

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3/19/2012

Outlook

Friday I drove with Normi for five hours to Spokane unsure of Aunt B.J.’s condition. At the age of 83, it would be bad enough to have one intestinal surgery, but she was now recovering from a second operation within a week with no food in her system and a weak heart. Her second surgery removed a blockage the size of a football. It was not surprising that she was very tired when we finally arrived on the 10thfloor of Deaconess Hospital and walked into her room.

11/24/2011

Liberty

There is a Kenyan proverb that states “A satisfied man does not know another one is hungry.” Imagine spending seventy years of life under the oppressive hand of communism. The shackles of tyranny were so severe that today in the nation of Georgia the majority of those who hold leadership positions are under the age of forty. Those who are over forty were so impacted by Soviet rule that the ability to think freely or take decisive actions is just too difficult.

11/25/2010

Thanksgiving III

Meditation
I Timothy 4:4-6—For everything created by God is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, since it is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer. If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.

9/12/2008 0 Comments

Lengkat

Riding from Abuja to Jos, Nigeria, David Joel, pastor of Agape Communion Church, shared with me an amazing story. There was a military coup in Nigeria in February 1976. Jurbe, a Captain in the Nigerian Army, was implicated in the coup. Despite his innocence, the authorities tried and executed him. Paul Wakkies, his younger brother, took his death hard. But on November 5, 1976, his wife, Kurnyang, bore him a daughter. They named her Lengkat, which means, “Don’t Worry!” Paul took solace in the fact that although God allowed the death of his brother, He provided new life.

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11/22/2006

Thanksliving

Meditation
1 Chronicles 16:8--Give thanks to Yahweh; call on His name; proclaim His deeds among the peoples.
Psalm 28:7--The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I praise Him with my song.
Psa.30:12b--Lord my God, I will praise You forever.

2/19/2004 0 Comments

Worship II

All around the planet somewhere, someplace, someone is worshiping God—24/7! Heaven is the final destination of praise, prayers, confession, thanksgiving and the place where songs, dance, shouting, offerings and communion unfold before an adored Father. If you asked me to pick the single most important thing I could do in life I would unhesitatingly answer, WORSHIP!

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