PRAYERS & WISHES FOR THANKSGIVING

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!  Obviously, today I am very thankful for…  FOOD!  Yes, family and friends make it all taste better…  but today is the day that is all about the big meal.  The day I allow myself to eat a hot roll and mashed potatoes.  I will – and I’ll enjoy every bite, thank you very much!

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice.   – Meister Eckhart

Let’s say a prayer of thanks for our meal today:

Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.  – E.P. Powell

Of course I’m thankful for so many things…  so is Lucinda!

What we’re really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?  – Erma Bombeck, “No One Diets on Thanksgiving,” 26 November 1981

I wish for you today fullness in a physical sense, of course, but also a spiritual sense of fullness.  I wish that you will not just see the blessings before you – food, friends, family, furbabies, shelter, warmth, love…  and yes, card tables.  But may you also literally feel a sense of thankfulness to God for all of it!  Have a lovely and blessed Thanksgiving!  🙂

PRAYERS & WISHES FOR THANKSGIVING

There is so much to be thankful for…  and I have two more posts for Thanksgiving!  Decisions… decisions.  Today I am so very thankful for Warmth – and by warmth I mean not just the snuggly feeling of being in a coat on a cold day.  Warmth on the outside, yes – but also warmth on the inside.  I’m so very thankful for a sense of security and confidence because of a relationship with Jesus Christ.  I’m thankful for God’s joy and His peace that passes all understanding.

I am thankful for my new coat – and I have to show it to you:

It’s snuggly and warm – it resists moisture and the strong Kansas wind!  And…  it is TEAL BLUE which is my favorite color.  It was my mom’s favorite color too.  I also like to wear it on Friday for Blue Friday for diabetes awareness.  It was half price which cinched the deal for sure.  I’ll be toasty warm  this winter and for that – yes I’m very thankful for physical warmth and protection.  Oh, and by the way…  I know my hands are inside the sleeves.  Yes, I do have hands – but the coat is not a petite, so…  well – if you’re short, you understand.

In a spiritual sense, I feel very secure and God instills confidence in my soul every day.  There’s nothing like having God’s love, joy and peace within.  I know you know that.

Let’s take a moment to thank God for the warmth He give us – inside and out:As we acknowledge God in all our ways, He promises to direct our paths.  I don’t take those promises for granted, do you?  I take Him at His word and lean on Him for help every moment of every day.

When we ask God for things like security, acceptance, confidence, and peace…  He is faithful to answer those prayers – and it’s a different answer for each of us.  I think that’s great, and more proof that we are not robots, but were created by a loving God who knows just what we need and how to provide for that need!  I love how God answers our prayers.

Lucinda does too!

I wish for you answered prayers!  I wish you more of whatever it is you need.  I wish for you better relationships, and success in life.  I wish that more of your plans and dreams will come to pass if it is God’s will.  🙂

 

PRAYERS & WISHES FOR THANKSGIVING

If you live in Kansas or Oklahoma, you’re probably familiar with the Cimarron Turnpike, a toll road in north-central Oklahoma.  The route travels 67 miles, from an interchange with I-35 north of Perry, to Westport, just west of Tulsa.  Before the Pikepass and K-tags came along, it was common knowledge that if you wanted to go to Tulsa, you needed to load up with some quarters to pay the toll.  Every few miles you had to throw a bunch of quarters in the big bowl that looked like a wishing well.

Of course, times have changed and the “wishing wells” are gone.  One thing about the Cimarron has stayed the same, however…  you still cannot make a U-turn!  Not long ago, we made a wrong turn off of I-35 and started heading west toward Tulsa instead of east toward Enid.  Whoops!  We drove and drove…  finally we came to a toll booth.  We had to pay a toll just to get to the exit, which was a stone’s throw to the west.  We did get turned around to head in the right direction.

Sometimes in our Christian walk, we veer off course and need to ask the Lord to forgive us and help us make a U-turn to get back on track.  It’s really up to us how long we drive in the wrong direction.  God does give us freewill because He loves us.  Today I’m so very thankful that God still allows U-turns to His children when we get off track.

Please join me in a prayer of thanks for U-turns:Another name for a U-turn is a do-over, as Lucinda reminds us:I wish for you the courage to turn around with God’s help.  I wish for you the joy and peace that God can give when we’re assured we’re on the path He planned for us to be on.  I wish for you laughter and freedom as you live for Christ alone.  🙂

 

 

PRAYERS & WISHES FOR THANKSGIVING

Did you know that if we will listen, God will give us encouragement no matter where we are?  Yep, it’s true!  When we’re open to His leading and listen carefully, He will speak to us!

Nothing beats taking all morning to have coffee with my Bible and a great devotional book.  Not everyone can take the time in the morning – I get that.  I used to work too, ya know.  I wasn’t born retired.  I was born TIRED – and hungry…  but I digress.

Even on days when you’re running late and nothing seems to be going right, you can be inspired.  You don’t believe me, do you?  It’s true.  If you have a radio in your car and have access to a Christian radio station…  that’s all you need!

Thank you, Lucinda, for this poem:

For ten years I worked across town from where I lived.  Some days it was not easy to face the work day, but the great people at K-LOVE made my commute to work much better.  For that I am so thankful.

God never lets us go, and it’s up to us to snag every opportunity we can to allow Him to speak to us.  I can’t think of a better way for Him to communicate with me than through music.  🙂

Take a moment to say a prayer of thanks today for Christian radio:I wish you enough travel time with your Christian radio station to get the inspiration you need to receive to have a great day.  I wish for your favorite song to play and speak a message to your heart that you need to hear today.  🙂

PRAYERS & WISHES FOR THANKSGIVING

Today i am thankful for coffee, that substance that makes me human, and able to deal with my day, which is drank in peace.  – Cathy Ann Nash

Does it seem odd to have a prayer of thanks for coffee?  Well, maybe…  but don’t we all thank the Lord for coffee every morning anyway?  I know I sure do!  Let’s be thankful today for coffee:

This coffee falls into your stomach, and straightway there is a general commotion. Ideas begin to move like the battalions of the Grand Army of the battlefield, and the battle takes place. Things remembered arrive at full gallop, ensuing to the wind. The light cavalry of comparisons deliver a magnificent deploying charge, the artillery of logic hurry up with their train and ammunition, the shafts of with start up like sharpshooters. Similes arise, the paper is covered with ink; for the struggle commences and is concluded with torrents of black water, just as a battle with powder.  – Honoré de Balzac, “The Pleasures and Pains of Coffee”

It’s not a coincidence that coffee is a part of mornings all over the world.  Don’t you think it’s just another way that God makes life easier for us?  That may seem like a simple explanation to you, but it’s really what I believe.  I don’t think God wants us to struggle to exist here.  I believe He provides things – some big and some small – meant to help us along.  It’d be a shame if we failed to thank Him for all of it, wouldn’t it?

Lucinda is thankful for coffee too.  Take a look at this cute poem:

Okay, I’m not a prankster at all, but I did find this You Tube video of coffee pranks – and I laughed and laughed.  😀  Maybe there’s someone you’d like to pull a coffee prank on at Thanksgiving though.  I hear some families are really into pranks.  🙂

I wish for you a fun day of coffee pranks if that’s what you want.  I wish for your coffee to be strong enough, and your work day to be short.  I wish for you as much laughter as you can possibly stand this day.  Enjoy!  😉

 

PRAYERS & WISHES FOR THANKSGIVING

I’m thankful for the internet. I’ve been able to reach so many people with inspiration. Not just with selling my books via my website, but also with sharing things online. I have made some really good friends, and really good acquaintances. It’s not what I’m most thankful for but it is one of many. – Lucinda Berry Hill  www.lucindaspoetry.webs.com

Surfing the internet is a bit like driving a car.  There are streets here in Wichita that I literally avoid because they are just too rough.  I opt for a smooth ride…  call me crazy.  We all know that making wise choices on the internet just makes sense and usually keeps us out of trouble.  There are all sorts of speed bumps, and there are fake people all over the place.  On facebook alone there are people who take military photographs and use them to create false facebook accounts.  I admit, it took me a while to catch on to that, but I’m so much more careful than I used to be.  Today I decline many friend requests, especially if we have no common friends.

It’s sad and scary on the internet – but it’s also a wonderful tool for ministry!  I can post little rays of God’s love and His Word every day on pages like AMERICA, BLESS GOD and POEMS & PRAYERS FOR MY SAVIOR.  It’s such a blessing to share encouragement in groups like A SECOND HELPING OF WELLNESS…  WITH A DASH OF HUMOR & A PINCH OF FAITH and I’M A BASKET CASE.

A journey of a thousand sites begins with a single click.  – Author Unknown

God gives us choices because He created human beings – not robots!  Free will…  it’s not a curse, but a gift from our Creator.  If for any reason we choose unwisely, we need to know that God will forgive and allow a U-turn.  We just have to make that U-turn and not look back!

Let’s pray for courage and wisdom to use the internet to SHINE for Christ:

I wish you safe surfing with no creeps on your facebook account.  I wish you many friends and acquaintances along the way.  May you have wisdom from God to choose good sites and stores to visit on the world wide web.  There are good things, but please remember there are also bad things.  Please be cautious and careful as you surf.

I’ve been blessed to minister via the internet since 2012 with blogs and through facebook.  It’s a real pleasure to design and post Scriptures, poems, sayings and quotes that uplift and encourage others!  May God bless you through something on the internet today.  🙂

 

PRAYERS & WISHES FOR THANKSGIVING

Our lives are so enriched by fur babies, aren’t they?  Whether we rescued an animal or purchased a pedigree, a pet or maybe more than one, adds a dimension to our lifestyle.  If you want free entertainment, watch the unique personality of an animal.  I’ve had 1 pony, 2 hamsters, 3 goldfish, 1 bird, 8 dogs and 6 cats in my lifetime (not all at once, thankfully).  No two animals are exactly alike…  but they are all precious in their own way.  Am I right?

I don’t know if our pets will be in Heaven when we get there  – but I can’t imagine eternal life without them.  It won’t matter once I get there, I’m sure.  I mean everything will be different from life here.  If it’s God’s Heaven and Jesus is there…  that’s really good enough for me.  But for my peace of mind here on earth…  I like to think that my pets will be in Heaven.

Let’s say a prayer of thanks for those crazy little fur babies that make us smile:

The difference between friends and pets is that friends we allow into our company, pets we allow into our solitude.  – Robert Brault, rbrault.blogspot.com

I wish you many years of happiness with your pets – even the snakes and things like that.  I’m not a fan, but some folks are – lol.  I believe God created animals to keep us company, and at times their company is more welcome than another person’s.  They really are welcome in to our solitude where human friends are not.

I’m so glad Ichigo is okay, aren’t you?  Sweet little cat.

Here’s another baby picture I want to share with you.  This is Bo – Kelly’s little dog.

Isn’t he the sweetest little fella???  So cute!

As we continue counting blessings, let’s not forget our sweet 4-legged family members.  🙂

PRAYERS & WISHES FOR THANKSGIVING

What would life be like without music?  I have one word for you…  BORING!!!  We’d all be yawning constantly and people would have to drink twice as much coffee to stay awake!  Have you thought of thanking God for music?  I guess I have because one of my favorite songs is called, “We Thank You, God, For Music” – !!!

Music plays an instrumental role in my life.  Arr arr arr…  music geek humor.

On that NOTE…  let’s pray.

A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.  – C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

My thankful basket is filled with love songs…  to my Savior!  He first loved me and He’s the only one who died for me – that’s for sure!  He alone is worthy of the highest praise I can give Him.

I wish for you the amazing peace that comes from handing your life…  lock, stock and barrel – over to God and letting Christ lead you.  I can’t explain it, but you just know it’s gonna be okay.  God’s got you and that’s enough.  Praise Him with song.  Make a joyful noise unto the LORD.  Raise your hands and sing praises to God.  He won’t laugh if you sing off-key…  but I guarantee He will smile.  🙂

PRAYERS & WISHES FOR THANKSGIVING

Hold your family members tight while you have them!  A day can change your life forever, but enjoy the time you have with family now.  There are certainly going to be issues and differences of opinion – there are those things in every family – but remember that they are your family and it matters.

Let’s say a prayer for families sitting around the table this Thanksgiving:

The family is a haven in a heartless world.  – Attributed to Christopher Lasch

How thankful are you for ENOUGH?  There’s room for everyone – and a lot of people, mostly family.  Some people will spend Thanksgiving alone and some don’t even have a place to call home.  If you can think of other places you’d rather be than with your family, while you’re entertaining those thoughts, keep in mind that some people would love to be in your situation.

I wish for you…  you guessed it…  ENOUGH.  Enough room, enough food, enough tolerance for your family members.  I wish for you enough of whatever you need.  God knows what that is – and it’s different for each of us.  Whisper a prayer to Him and He will see to it that you get just enough.  I know He will do that for you because He has done that for me.  🙂

PRAYERS & WISHES FOR THANKSGIVING

It’s been said that some friends come into our lives for a reason, some for a season, and some for a lifetime.  We don’t know why they show up, and we often don’t understand why they leave.  The thing I’ve never understood is why those lifetime friends want to stick around!  My lifetime friends are gluttons for punishment I do believe!  I am blessed to have a few of those friendships.  I try not to use them or take them for granted in any way.  I do definitely pray for them.  And I know they pray for me too.  Boy do I need it!

Speaking of prayer…  you know where this is goin’, right?  Let’s bow and pray:

A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.  – Douglas Pagels

It’s so great to have a ministry for Christ – but so much greater when that ministry expands and strengthens with help from a friend.  I’m so very thankful for Lucinda!  You know how you meet someone and you realize you have so much common interests and you both serve the same God???  It’s just that iron-sharpening thing in action.  I hope I uplift and encourage her as much as she uplifts and encourages me.  She’s been such a blessing in my life and I pray for her and her ministry every day.

I just want to quick remind you of the SUPER MOON tonight!  It will be the largest super moon in 70 years!  Witness the beauty and glow that appears in the night skies – with a friend!  Let’s face it, doing cool stuff with our friends is something that makes us SHINE with God’s hope and peace in our lives.

I wish that you will have at least one close friend – a friend who judges less and loves more.  One that overlooks flaws as you overlook theirs.  If you have 5 good friends in this life, you are blessed indeed, but if you have one close friend, you are truly blessed.  🙂