Being thankful

1 Thess. 5: 16 - 21 (nrsv)

¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray without ceasing,¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰Do not despise the words of prophets,^{* 21}but test everything; hold fast to what is good;

See the definition for quench here, in particular 1a & 2b.

I am aiming to not quench, or allow to be quenched the Spirit. The Spirit of God as the independent Entity that It is, and the Spirit within me (the Comforter - also called Advocate and Helper that Jesus tells us of in John 14:26). In order that this Spirit be allowed to thrive in my life, I will name all the things that I am thankful for, I will rejoice because of them (and because God is simply worth being thankful for), I will pray consistently, and I will remember to hold fast to what is good.

What I am holding fast to. The good things. What I am thankful for:

• For the health of my family, both by blood, by water, and by spirit, I am thankful.
• For health in my body - I have felt mildly unwell, I have been uncomfortable. Yet, God has preserved my health by and large, I am thankful.
• For the love and support of many people, I am thankful.
• For a sound mind, and the ability to manipulate my faculties and functions (yes, yes, I realize that sanity is all in mind of the beholder *smile*), I am thankful
• For the ability to further my education, and learn from esteemed and intelligent scholars, I am thankful.
• For the means with which to have shelter, connection, and sustenance, I am thankful.
• For the ability to laugh, chuckle, smile, smirk, and gaze with benevolence, I am thankful.
• For the mind to even be thankful, I am thankful.

What are you thankful for today? I promise you, you have something to be thankful for - this list is certainly not exhaustive! But it is a start!! And despite some of the rain clouds (and snow clouds) that rolled over here today, just remembering that there is much to be thankful for brings some peace, some stillness, some calm back into view.

It's funny how practicing these small things, like praying over things you can be thankful for, are for your good. Yes, God is pleased when we remember that the picture is bigger than what is on the immediate (though, the immediate can be of immense importance) horizon; but I believe that when we commit to the simple practices (like this one) the blessings the practices bestow upon the practitioner (or worshipper) are manifold.

In blessing, you are blessed.

Be blessed dear hearts. Vaya con Dios.