Good morning,
Thanksgiving is in two days and it has me thinking about my place cards! Last year I used darling wood tags and fixed printed-out, grateful sayings on them and told my family to finding something you are grateful for on a place card and sit there. They read: people I love, things I like to daydream about, opportunities I have, steak, etc… some funny, some meaningful.
This year I have a new thought! In the last week-and-a-half, I ate celery that put me in anaphylactic shock, headed to Arizona for a week, and read two books about stretching personally.
Did you know celery can be deadly? I did not know that nor would I have ever in a million years thought that was what I ingested that made my lips and eyes swell up, turn my face bright red, and start to close my throat and, furthermore, have the ER doctor tell me I would need an EpiPen with me at all times for the rest of my life!! Mercy!!!
Arizona was filled with family, the desert, and four hikes up Pinnacle Peak!! Hiking was good for my body, time with my family was good for my soul, the desert was good for my mind–so many thorns designed to protect the plant makes a good metaphor for our sharp, selfish, hurting defenses.
The first book I read was by our friend and neighbor, Jerry Holl. It is titled Down Hills Don’t Come Free. It is the story of his solo bike ride from Alaska to Mexico. Very inspiring and he talks about it being his “stretch.” Incredible read! I want to find and commit to my next stretch!!! Maybe a book or blog from this spiritual message board??
The second book is by another fellow Minnesotan who is from Windom, which is in the southwest corner of Minnesota, just a few miles from Slayton, where my husband grew up! His book is titled Man Up!, by Scott Schuler. Loved it and so inspiring! He is an entrepreneur and has a heart for people–those two things are not for sissies!
What in the world does all this have to do with Thanksgiving place cards?? Everything!
You see, it is easy to do the “replay scroll” and see what you were thankful for in the good, warm, and fuzzy times of last year. But how about in the fails and hard times of last year. Are we thankful for that stuff??
The Bible says over and over again: God is most interested in the condition of our heart. I think I get that! A thankful heart is every day! A thankful heart is not good circumstances–it is thrilled to ask God to explain something in any given circumstance and he will send the answers. A thankful heart is realizing that a fail means growth and wisdom. A thankful heart looks back and acknowledges all the people it took to help you get to where you are going. A thankful heart can “man up” and be humble and kind. A thankful heart depends on others and gives support, encouragement, time, money, and love to those who have helped us in everyday life. A thankful heart is full and not perfect. A thankful heart is forgiving and extends mercy. A thankful heart makes God smile!!
Why does He smile? Because, the whole Bible is about His son, Jesus Christ, and the work He wants us to do is to: believe in, adhere to, trust in, and rely on Him. When we do that, thankfulness fills you! No problem, such as going into anaphylactic shock, will be a mystery because He will answer me when I say, “God, you have to tell me what made this happen today because I have no idea what to stay away from.” Lori, our housekeeper, the next morning looked in the garbage and saw the celery and decided to Google, “Can celery make you sick?” Thank you for answering me immediately God!! Thank you for doctors, my life, my empathy, my faith, my million other things!!!
I am thankful that I have my friend God! His glory was in making us to have a relationship with Him if we want to. That relationship I entered into wants me strong, stretched, heathy, happy, compassionate, a good teacher of the Word, kind, filled with grace and mercy so others can see that I am never alone and the condition of my heart is always growing because of You.
This year, my place cards are going to read: MAN UP! Just that, but I will tell them what it means and acknowledge either out loud or to yourself what fails, uphill struggles, helped you, stretched you, and changed the condition of your heart to be overwhelmingly thankful!!!
Love you, Teri