Spiritual Thoughts

Thought for the Day 11/29/2019 Friday Tale:  I receive ALL of life with Thanksgiving-  I have gratitude for EVERYTHING that has Ever occurred to bring me to this moment. I give thanks for the joys and sufferimgs, The moments of peace and the flashes of anger,  The compassion and indifference, The roar of my courage And the cold sweat of my fear. I accept gratefully the entirety of my past and present.  -Jonathan Lockwood Huie  The one who offers thanksgiving glorifies Me.  Psalm 50.23

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance,  Chaos into order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, A house into a home,  a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, Brings peace for today, And a vision for tomorrow. - Melody Beattie  Do not be anxious about anything, BUT In everything by prayer and supplication With thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Phillipians 4.6

D evelop an A ttitude of G ratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation. ~ Brian Tracy G ive thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ~ Ephesians 5:20 

G ratitude is the sweetest thing in a seeker's life - in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your life. ~ Sri Chinmoy A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! ~ Psalm 100:1, 4

E verything we do should be a result of our gratitude for what God has done for us. ~ Lauryn Hill A nd whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him . ~ Colossians 3:17

Friday Tale - Common Things T hese are the things I prize And hold of dearest worth: Light of the sapphire skies, Peace of the silent hills, Shelter of forests, comfort of the grass, Music of birds, murmur of little rills, Shadow of clouds that swiftly pass, And, after showers, The smell of flowers And of the good brown earth,— And best of all, along the way, friendship and mirth. So let me keep These treasures of the humble heart In true possession, owning them by love. ~ Henry Van Dyke L et the heavens praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created. And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away. Praise the LORD from the earth….fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word!  Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven . ~ Psalm 148

B e kinder than necessary,  for everyone you meet is  fighting some kind of battle. ~ Unknown T hus says the LORD of hosts, render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another. ~ Zechariah 7:9

G od does not want something from us -- He just wants us. ~ Unknown H e has told you what is good, and what does the LORD require of you BUT to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? ~ Micah 6:8

If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper in life,  sweep streets like Raphael painted pictures.    Sweep streets like Michelangelo carved marble.    Sweep streets like Beethoven composed music.    Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry.  ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. Do your best to present yourself to God  as one approved, a worker who has no  need to be ashamed,  rightly handling the word of truth. ~ 2 Timothy 2:15 

I f you have one eye on yesterday, and one eye on tomorrow, you are going to be cockeyed today. ~ Unknown T herefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. ~ Matthew 6:34

F riday Tale - Stress Management A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it." "If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden." &qu

I f people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I'll bet they'd live a lot differently. ~ Bill Watterson W hen I look at Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,  the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him? And the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than the angels and crowned him with glory and honor. ~ Psalm 8:3-5

D id I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are real questions. I must trust the little bit of love I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come. ~ Henri Nouwen BUT the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law. ~ Galatians 5:22-23

I am only one, BUT I am one. I cannot do everything, BUT I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. ~ Edward Everett Hale   B e ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. ~ Titus 3:1-2

S ome changes look negative on the surface BUT you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge. ~ Eckhart Tolle C ount it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ~ James 1:2-3

Friday Tale: Landscape Y our life's like a landscape and God has the brush. The work is in progress, He's not in a rush.                    Each stroke has a purpose, nothing's by chance.                    To see all His wisdom takes more than a glance. Notice the sunbeams that shine on the dew -- Even the clouds can't keep them from view.                    Look at the pathway that turns at the hill --                    Its course will reveal what's next in His will. The stream that's flowing with water so blue Is bringing down blessings meant just for you.                    The trees that are planted close to the stream                    Will bring forth more fruit than you've ever seen. The bird in the nest with mouth opened wide Is just a reminder that God will provide.                    Now look at the sheep in the meadow that's near                    And notice the Shepherd that keeps them from fear. He&

T he world is changed by your example, not by your opinion. ~ Paulo Coelho F or I have given you an example, that you should do just as I have done to you. ~ John 13:15

I f you can keep your head when all around you are losing theirs and blaming it on you, then the world is yours and all that's in it. ~ Rudyard Kipling I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. BUT take heart, I have overcome the world. ~ John 16:33 

Y ou must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, BUT you can change yourself. That is something YOU have charge of. ~ Jim Rohn I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. ~ 1 Timothy 6:13-14

I f you worry, why pray. If you pray, why worry! ~ Unknown D o not be anxious about anything, B UT in everything by prayer and supplication  with thanksgiving let your requests  be made known to God, and  the peace of God will guard your heart and mind. ~ Philippians 4:6-7

Friday Tale: Commandments For Today! 1.        Thou shall not worry, for worrying is the most unproductive of all human activities. 2.    Thou shall not be afraid, for most things we fear never come to pass. 3.    Thou shall not cross bridges before thou comes to them. 4.      Thou shall not handle but one problem at a time, leaving the others to The Lord until their proper time. 5.      Thou shall not take troubles to bed, for they make poor bedfellows. 6.      Thou shall not try to carry the problems of the world  on your shoulders, for only One hath a back that strong. 7.      Thou shall be a good listener, for God often speaks  through the mouths of others. 8.      Thou shall not try to relive yesterday, for good or ill, it is gone forever. Live and rejoice in today. 9.      Thou shall dismiss feelings of frustration, for they are rooted in self-pity and interfere with positive action. 10.    Thou shall count thy blessings, never overlooking  the smallest, for