Are you thankful?

A current trend in my life is the idea of being thankful for the little things. The past several weeks the sermon topics have been along the lines of thankfulness. The concept of thanking God for the little things is an idea that is often preached around thanksgiving, but do we ever put it into practice?
My friend preached about the idea of how everyone has a thankfulness language. Yes just as the idea of people having a specific way that they show love, people also show that they are thankful in a similar way.
I show appreciation or thankfulness  when I buy people gifts and spend time with them. If I am generous that means I really do care. As terrible as that sounds, it really is true I don't spend money on others often.
This idea of being thankful for the little things really drove home when I realized that the fragility of life and the fact that people are temporary. I remembered attending a funeral for a lady that was a major part of my childhood years. She taught me the importance of smiling and that a smile can change anyone's day around. She has been dead for 3 years but the principles that she taught me about the Bible and the impact that we have on those around us changed my life.
Being thankful for those that are in your life. For you never know when you will get the chance to see them or hear them say the same old story over and over again. The things that you find as annoyances are what you will be remembering.
By being thankful for the simple daily things I have realized stress is gone the Lord provides and you always have the opportunities to be thankful for something. So as Mother Theresa said "let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love."

Christmas

Last week I had the opportunity to completely turn my life full circle. I told my testimony that many of you have read about my time in college. I shared this to four freshman girls and was amazed at the work that God had been doing in my life and theirs. 
Many of the girls were going through similar experiences that I had gone through my freshman year. Feeling of wanting out, not knowing why and overwhelmed with finals preparation. I found out this past Tuesday that one of the girls that was seriously considering transferring to another college made the decision to stay. God sure can use people if they are open to going through all of the experience that leads up and breaks you down. God breaks people to build them up in Him.
I am a witness of the work that God has done in my life alone. 
I hated the not knowing of why God choose to allow me to experience terrible times just 2 years ago. I hated everything about being at a Christian University, the blah of routine Christianity and the routine rules and regulations. I even didn't like the wishy washy people that were so fake in their walks with God.
God has open my eyes to the hurt and the broken and those that really havn't experienced the grace and mercy and overwhelming loving hands of God. 
I had a moment like this back in high school where I felt God telling me to stand up for a larger girl that was being bullied and I listened and stopped several of my friends from being just mean to her because she was different and a slow runner. She thanked me and later I overheard her talking about me, no not trash talking but genuine complements about how thankful she was I said something to those girls.
A seldom known fact is that I was overweight as a child and still feel for those who are still struggling with their weight. That is an insecurity that many people struggle with. I know that feeling of not good enough and really get upset when people pick on those that appear different. They know your talking about them and as the bible says "you look on the outside but God looks at the heart."
When we choose to allow God to use us, what he can do through us is incredible. Indescribable, really.SO where was I oh yeah, last tuesday when I was sharing my story I felt a peace that God gave me the right time and words to say to them and really felt like what I said was what God was saying to them through me.
Since then, I feel like God is telling me to stay open with them and allow opportunity's to encourage them to persevere and stay faithful that God's will is ultimately the best plan for their lives. We do not know when or how he reveals it to us but after the hard times always come the blessing. 
Share the Blessings this Season.