Quiet Moments With God - Thankful?

I was not having a good start to my day when I sat down to read my Bible this morning. It was one of those days when my body felt like it had a giant toothache, plus life has been extra stressful recently. I'd started reading a devotion when my daughter sent me a text. Soon we were in a text conversation. We were both having a bad morning. So we got to talking about God and prayer ... and thankfulness.

By the time we said good-bye, I felt better. We'd both prayed for one another and decided that being thankful was a good way to begin our day. 

I went to some scriptures about thankfulness.

Hebrews 12:26, 27 says, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." 

Wow. We get are part of God's kingdom!

I went on to Ephesians 5:20, which says, Always giving thans to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Everything? Really? 

If God is watching out for us and we have entrusted out lives to him, then we can thank him for everything. He sees the beginning and the end and always knows what's best for us all. And I don't see any scripture that says we should be thankful only when life is going exactly the way we want. Sometimes the most beautiful parts of life come wrapped in plain brown paper.

I decided to begin this morning with thanksgiving. 

My first thought was about church yesterday. It was so beautiful to be there with my family. Sarah and Kelly and their five children sat with my mother and my husband -- they took up nearly the entire front row. I am SO thankful that we were there together worshiping God.

This morning when I sat in my comfy chair in my bedroom, Bible in hand, I looked out on a green forest, spattered with the colors of autumn and with an azure blue sky as a background. I am SO thankful for God The Creator, the grandest of all artists.

And the best - time with my daughter. Time to pray for one another. I am SO thankful for her friendship and our shared faith.

As it turns out, all that thankfulness made me feel better. My pain is still present, but doesn't feel unbearable anymore, and I am looking forward to a day filled with surprises and blessings.

What are you thankful for?

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie