My mom would say that Feeling appreciation for people and not expressing it is like having a gift to give and deciding not to give it.
Forward Friday is all about being grateful. It’s thanksgiving weekend in Canada so we normally to take time to be with family and friends to be thankful for all we have.
While it’s not easy when the times present challenges, if we look a little past the present difficulty, there is always something to be thankful for. And as always, there is good news medicine at the end..
Let’s Get Into This!
“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to us, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to our advancement, we should include all things in our gratitude.” Dale Carnegie
I thought that seeing that this weekend is a celebration of Thanksgiving, I wanted to talk about what and whom I’m thankful for.
I'm thankful for Miss. Kelly. Almost 27 years later, I know I’ve been blessed with the best! I mean, anyone who can roll with the zaniness that is Dave must be okay!!
But she is more than okay; smart, loyal, curious, intelligent, industrious, wise, funny, adventurous, sparkling, devoted to Jesus and also pretty to boot, I know that my life would not have been the same without her and besides, If I need someone to roll with my shenanigans, Kelly can handle the Mills effect.
Miss. Kelly is a beauty!!
I’m also thankful for my parents. Even though dad has been gone 20 years and mom almost 5 years, they live on in so many ways.
I cannot stop thinking how their influence has such a domino effect in my life and I see more clearly all that they were doing to give my brother and I the best set up for our walk in life.
Simply 2 extraordinary people!!
Keith is a great brother. Although I think I should have gotten some of his height, I’ll be content to know that he is a good man and it is a blessing to have him as brother and friend..
I’m thankful for friends. Friends come in different shapes, sizes, vocal capacity, hilarious, introspective, wise, discerning, fun to be with, benefits our life and makes life more enjoyable.
Friends that are able to band together in the good, the not so good and the tough moments; it is a good thing to have friends.
If I put all the pictures up of the friends who mean so much to me, we’d need 5 blogs plus another page!!
but a few of these pictures encapsulate the good fortune I have of calling some very sharp, wonderful people, friends.
I’m thankful for the community that is my church. In a day where the moral compass of many has disappeared, shattered or disillusioned because of the actions of some, there is something exciting that happens when we all meet every weekend to celebrate, rejoice, care and love one another!!
It’s a wonderful thing!!!!
Then there are people who come into your life at certain points and help to make a difference in our lives.
My trainer, Marc is such a man.
Besides being a topflight trainer, he knows how to figure out what we need when we need it, train us to our optimum and he really cares about us getting better, no matter the state or circumstance a client is in.
I know that he has been so kind to me in many ways and it does not go unnoticed.
So the least I can do is honor what he does for me/others by giving it my best so I can be healthy, strong and better than I was the week previous.
Thanks Marc.
Now For Some Good Medicine…..
This all doesn’t happen unless I give thanks to the One I serve and He is Jesus.
If I could tell all that He has done for me, saved me from, healed me of from the inside out, it would be too long to tell.
Even the little things: giving me a love for food and wanting people to feel good when they eat so that a little catering service on the side sprung up that is fun to bless people…
My love for sports, especially hockey is known but to be able to stay in the sport while not playing as much as in the past so refereeing keeps me on the ice is not something taken lightly or for granted.
Even the painful moments; to walk me through things when the pain was/is acute. (I know some know of what I speak of) to never leave even when I would walk away but Jesus has been Rock Steady.
So here are a few verses that our favorites of mine as I think about thanksgiving and all that it means and I hope it spurs us All to be grateful, thankful and to remember who made our lives possible to live with hope, grace and love...
I do know that for some, a weekend like this will conjure up sadness, loneliness, heartbreak because of many types of loss or struggle; all I can say is to not lean away from Jesus during these times; the opposite actually makes for a comforting, not walking alone way to live!!
Philippians 4:4-6 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Psalms 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.
Psalms 100:4 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
The Things I Think:
Maybe this weekend or next month for American Thanksgiving because many of us Canadians celebrate 2x’s, let’s consider making it a point to:
“Making, finding the time to stop and thank those who make a difference in our lives.”
I’m all in; how about it!!! Happy Thanksgiving!! Progress 2023
Dave
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