“Many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not con-fess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.” John 12:42-43

“The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.”  Proverbs 29:25, The Message

There was a time in my life when I longed for the approval of man. I wanted to be a person of great importance. I drank in the praise of man and became intoxicated with what people thought and said of me. Yet my approval addiction was never satisfied and thankfully so because it brought me to the place of brokenness and total surrender to God. I have come to the place where I no longer desire the praise of man, but only to hear my Father say, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

In our society we are encouraged to glorify the accomplishments of man. Many strive to achieve titles, positions of power, wealth and to be deemed by the world as a noteworthy person. And although we are promised much favor and success as children of God, a lot of individuals believe that the praise of man alone will bring them a sense of worth. They crave to hear man say of them, “Wow, look at her and what she has accomplished.” This is true even in the Christian culture. There is often a mixture of longing to glorify God while also enjoying the seduction of the praise of man.

Let us be reminded today that the praise of man is temporal and it will never bring true satisfaction, hence why you continually see Hollywood and sports stars turning to drugs, alcohol, affairs and such. The only true satisfaction in this life is to have a relationship with God. And friend, God has already deemed you worthy! Through the Cross of Jesus, you are the righteousness of God and He loves you – the real you!

Friend, you can rest your head tonight knowing that no matter what man may think or say about you, God loves you! It is my prayer that each night you will fall asleep pondering God’s amazing love for you. Oh how He loves you! Jesus gave His life for you, what more could He give? Oh how He loves you and me!

Prayer:

“Lord, thank you for loving me. I acknowledge that there is nothing this world can offer me that will bring me true peace or satisfaction but You! I will choose this day forward to meditate on what You say about me. No matter what man may say, I am the righteousness of God, I am the head and not the tail and the blessings of the Lord will chase me and overtake me (Deuteronomy 28). Amen.”

“Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Luke 10:27, NKJ

As women we tend to wear a lot of “hats” everyday without even realizing it! We just know that we are exhausted each night – can I get an Amen? Within a twenty-four hour period women often fill the roles of: wife, mother, business woman, chef, chauffeur, counselor, daughter, aunt, bible study leader, school teacher, fashion consultant, friend and this is not comprehensive list by any means! It is no wonder studies have shown that women in America feel overwhelmed and dissatisfied. Needless to say, it is imperative that you take care of yourself!

Notice in the verse above that in addition to loving your neighbor (i.e. preparing meals for a family grieving, volunteering at your local church and listening to a friend in need), we are also commanded to love ourselves!

So let me ask you: Are you good to yourself? Do you take time for you or does everything and everyone else take precedence? I am going to guess that most of us reading this blog (including myself) often fall short in this area. But the truth is, if we don’t take care of ourselves - we will eventually reach the point where we can no longer function! When we find ourselves exhausted and overwhelmed, depression can creep in if we are not careful. So, if you are reading this today please know that I love you and I plead with you to take care of yourself:)

I give you permission to take care of you! Let’s start right now - I want you to think of something that you can do for yourself today… go ahead and think about it and then DO IT!

Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for taking care of everyone else, but me. I choose this day to take better care of me. You have entrusted me with a special purpose while here on earth and by taking care of myself – I WILL fulfill my destiny in Christ! Thank you God for this gentle reminder and I will love my neighbor as I love myself this day.” Amen.

“For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers.  Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:38-39, AMP

There is nothing you can do that will separate you from the love of God. His love for you is not contingent on what you have or will do, but it is solely dependent on the work of the cross. You don’t have to “do” anything to deserve God’s love, it has already been freely given when Jesus gave His life for you on the cross. When we give our lives to Jesus, He takes away our sin, sickness, and poverty and replaces it with His forgiveness, wholeness and prosperity for our mind, body and spirit.

No matter what you are currently going through - God loves you. You may be going through unbearable circumstances or you might have recently made the biggest mistake of your life, but God is and will forever be in love with you friend. God made you in your mother’s womb and He understands you better than yourself. It is when you are in a time of crisis or transition that you need to fall at the feet of Jesus and receive His love, mercy and never-ending grace. People will fail you, but God will never leave you nor forsake you.

There are many barriers that keep us from receiving God’s love. The enemy longs to torment God’s children with condemnation, but there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). He wants to weigh down the righteous with despair, but God has given us a garment of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61). The devil desires to oppress us with fear, but God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). All authority over the enemy has been given to us. Jesus made a public spectacle of him through His death and resurrection and it is time that you and I take our authority in Christ and declare Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Friend, you are the righteousness of God and He is deeply in love with you. As our scripture tells us above, there is nothing – no height, no depth, nothing, that can separate you from His love. I pray you rest in this truth friend and receive all that He has for you this day and forevermore.

Prayer:

“Lord, thank you for loving me – all of me. I give you everything I am and everything I am not. You know what I am going through right now and I run to You today. I am in desperate need of Your mercy, grace wisdom and love. I take authority over every plan of the enemy in my life and ask that only Your plans succeed. I declare that goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Amen.”

“Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.  Lift up your heads, O you gates!  Lift up, you everlasting doors!  And the King of glory shall come in.  Who is the King of glory?  The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.”  Psalm 24:8-10

At one time or another we will come face to face with difficulties and trials. Even Jesus had to endure crowds that wanted to stone Him to death, people that spoke evil of Him and friends that betrayed Him, yet in every situation, He was rescued and Jesus did not leave this earth until it was His appointed time at the Cross. And friend, I want to encourage you today that no matter what you are going through, the same God who saved Jesus at every point and turn is the God who will also save you!

I will never forget when my liver began to fail during my senior year at Asbury College. I was twenty years old and fighting for my life. I literally fainted in the doctor’s office when she stated that my name needed to be placed on a liver donor list. I had already been through so much in my childhood and the thought of dying at a young age seemed surreal and yet all too familiar. For so long I had longed to take my life, but it was God who radically saved me and with every breath that was now within me, I longed to tell others of what God had done in my life! Thankfully, I was placed on Asbury’s intercessory prayer list and mighty prayer warriors went before God on my behalf. The truth is that others believed for my healing when I did not have faith for it myself. I was experiencing physical difficulties to the point that I could not even walk to the bathroom a few feet away without becoming totally exhausted.

Friend, there maybe times when others will have faith for your miracle even when you don’t. When this happens, simply receive their faith and let them believe for you until you can believe it for yourself. And you can rest in the fact that the prayers of the Righteous will alter your destiny and destroy every plan of the enemy.

It was when my doctor performed a liver biopsy (with no anesthesia I might add) that my miracle manifested. The physician team was amazed and perplexed when they discovered that my liver would in fact heal itself within a year’s time and that I would not need a liver transplant after all – our God is mighty to heal! I found out later that my testimony greatly affected my attending physician and she later left her practice to pursue her dreams – our God is mighty to encourage!

I can give you story after story of testimonies from my life and the lives of others that would further demonstrate the fact that God is a God of miracles, signs and wonders. I have seen God restore marriages, rescue those in deadly accidents, heal those sick in body and mind, and provide finances in time of need (I’ve literally seen cars given to those in need with no strings attached and I’ve seen bills miraculously paid). God is the One who can save, heal, restore and bring peace to your mind during the trails of life. I encourage you to run to Him today friend because He is mighty to save! Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty!

Prayer:

“Lord, I profess that even when I cannot see You with my natural eye, I know that you are always moving on my behalf. You are the God who is mighty to save. I give you every difficulty I am experiencing at this time and I ask that you strengthen me and put people around me who will believe in my needed miracle till the end. I also ask that you put women of faith around me to believe for my breakthrough even when I cannot believe for it myself. I declare that all things are possible with You. You are my refuge and strength, my God in whom I trust. Amen.”

If you are currently going through a trial and would like prayer, please click on the “Need Prayer?” button below and myself and my prayer team would honored to cover you and your confidential prayer request.

“Jesus answered and said to her, whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.  But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”  John 4:13-15

As I enter the New Year it is my desire to give God everything that I am, but more importantly, I want to give God everything I am not in 2010. Although I have been blessed to achieve some goals in my life, what I am aware of most is my utter dependence on God and everything that I am not. I will be the first to admit that I have not always made the right choices and my failures are many, but through God’s amazing grace He has taken everything I am not and somehow, someway, used it for His glory. Bottom line, I shouldn’t even be alive today but thanks to God I am here and I will serve Him all the days of my life.  As it states in 2 Corinthians 12:10 (NLT), “That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then He is strong.”

The Samaritan woman in our scripture above understood what she was not. She had failed in five marriages, she was not considered worthy as a Samaritan to serve Jesus a simple drink of water from the well that day, not to mention, the numerous disappointments she had experienced in life which brought lack in her mind, body and spirit.

Yet Jesus was not concerned about her accomplishments (everything she was) or her failures (everything she was not) in life. He was there to give her EVERYTHING HE IS which superseded everything she was not.

You see, it was the Samaritan woman who was in need of a drink that day. She needed more than what natural water could supply, she needed a drink of everlasting life. What she found out that day was that one drink from God’s well would quench the deepest thirst within her soul. This living water brought healing to her body and peace to her mind.

It is God alone who fills our longing to be loved because He loved us so much that He sent His only Son to earth. It is God who fills our hunger to be accepted because He calls us the apple of His eye. It is God who fills our need to be valued because He sees us as precious in His sight. It is God who fills our yearning to be cherished because His thoughts of us each day are more than can be numbered. It is God who fills our desire to be taken care of because our Father in Heaven shall supply all of our needs according to His riches in glory. And like the Samaritan woman, we to need to drink from the well of God.

What are you in need of today? What do you need in 2010? Whatever it is, God is your solution. He is faithful to complete the work which he begun in you. All we have to do is give Him everything we are and everything we are not and receive a drink from His well today. When we give God our everything, the rest is up to Him.

Prayer:

“Lord, I give You 2010 and ask that You take everything that I am and everything that I am not and use my life for Your glory. I am in need of a drink from the everlasting well of life today. Please fill my mind with you peace, my body with your healing power and my spirit with faith for the New Year. I declare that in my weakness, You are made strong. Amen.”

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  Isaiah 9:6, NLT

Merry Christmas Friends,

I want to share with you some exciting news and give all the glory to God because it is through His favor and love that First For Women Magazine has published an article about my “Christmas Miracle” devotional. It was freelance writer, Diane Nichols who after reviewing hundreds of stories, stumbled on my “Christmas Miracle” devotional, written over three years ago, on my website. Diane has told me that finding my miracle story was like finding a needle in a haystack, but as soon as she read my story, she knew it was the one for their December issue. You can pick up your copy of my story in First Magazine (page 42) at your local grocery store or newsstand throughout America and Europe.

The thing is friend, if God can do this for me…then what will he do for you?  It is my prayer that you will have a miracle filled Christmas this year!

Here is the full, expanded version of “My Christmas Miracle” published in 2006

“My Christmas Miracle”

As the Christmas season beckoned at my door, I could not help but reminisce about the memories of Christmas past. A lot of my flashbacks revolve around running to abuse shelters from my stepfather who was physically abusive. Even when things seemed calm on my home front, I could always count on the never-ending drama within my family to spice up the holiday season. Holiday drama and my family seem to go together like macaroni and cheese. While the majority of my early memories could put anyone in therapy, I did think about one Christmas that still puts a smile on my face even to this day.

It was the Christmas that my aunt, uncle, and cousins drove 12 plus hours in the sleet and snow to be with us during the holidays. I was in sixth grade and I still remember the smell of burning wood in the fireplace and the amazing meals my mom prepared. But, the best part of that Christmas was a present I received. To the outward eye it appeared that my aunt gave me a game, “Stop Thief” by Parker Brothers, but it was much more than that.

You see, that evening my family gathered around the dining room table and played until the wee hours in the morning. The entire room was filled with laughter as we chased the fictitious thief all over the game board. As an abused child who later nearly took her life at the age of 15, I held onto the laughter of that night during some of the hardest times in my life. The memory of that Christmas is still with me today. I am not sure when it happened or which state I lived in at the time, but I lost my most prized game, “Stop Thief.”

Now in my thirties, I decided it was time to replace my favorite game. My research uncovered that Parker Brothers no longer makes the game, and to my dismay, “Stop Thief “ is now considered a vintage game! My husband suggested that I attempt to locate the vintage game on E-Bay. I held my breath as I typed in the words “Stop Thief” on the E-Bay website, and there it appeared before my eyes, not only one, but several “Stop Thief” games were being sold that very day. I placed my highest bid, and to my surprise, won the game. I eagerly anticipated its arrival, and just three days later it was placed at my front door in Atlanta, Georgia. I opened the package, pulled out the game and saw my very own handwriting on the front cover that stated, “I love Michael Jackson” in red ink. The memory of using my brand new ink pen with multiple ink colors flooded my mind and I remembered choosing red because Michael Jackson wore a red leather coat in his Thriller video. Tears filled my eyes as I realized that I had not just received any “Stop Thief” game, but my original game from my childhood.

It was a miracle and I knew who had done it for me- my sweet Jesus. I had known of His love for me, but the fact that He found my original game that I had lost a long time ago is beyond amazing. God led a stranger in Illinois to end up with my game, sell it years later on E-Bay, and then have it delivered several states away to my front door. That shows me the restoration power of God! Joel 2:21-26 talks about how God will restore the years the locusts have eaten. I don’t know what you may have lost over the years; maybe the locusts of life have stolen from you as well. I encourage you to ask God to restore unto you things that you have lost. God is able to not only restore former things, but He always brings things back with increase beyond its original state. Jesus truly is the restorer of all things lost. After all, we once were lost, but now we are found.

Prayer: Lord, I declare that the enemy must give back everything he has stolen from me! I proclaim that 2010 will be a year filled with the restoration power of God. I ask that you restore my body, my mind, my spirit, my relationships, my family, my reputation, my finances and anything else needing the restoration power of God. I love you Jesus and it is because of your love that I believe 2010 will be a year crowned with Your goodness and dripping with abundance (Psalm 65:11).” Amen.

“For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior, Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord! And this will be a sign for you (by which you may recognize Him): you will find (after searching) a Baby wrapped in a manger. Then suddenly there appeared with the angel an army of the troops of heaven (a heavenly knighthood), praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest (heaven), and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased (men of goodwill, of His favor).” Luke 2:11-14, AMP

What is Christmas anyway?  Is it presents and Santa Claus?  Is it sending and receiving Christmas cards and cookies?  Is it seeing the Nutcracker and Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer?  Is it green bean casserole and eggnog? No, Christmas is about the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a day to remember the greatest gift given to man - Jesus. Jesus is our redemption and it is through His life, death and resurrection that we are saved, healed, forgiven and made the righteousness of God and that is something to be merry about friends!

I recognize that the world is desperately trying to take “Christ” out of Christmas. They want us to be “tolerant” while they remove “In God We Trust” from our money, pull out the Ten Commandments from our Court Houses and they want us to be satisfied with the greeting “Happy Holidays,” but friends let’s remember what this day is about - it’s about the birth of Jesus. I know I may be stepping on a few toes about now, but friends, Christmas is my favorite day of the year and I cannot help but shout from the mountain tops, “MERRY CHRISTMAS” & “HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!”  As for me and my house, we will not participate in “Happy Holidays,” nor will you see a big, fat, red-suited man taking over our home…no, as far as me and my house, Christmas is and will forever be about JESUS!!

Let’s not be silent.  Let’s not smile and be tolerant.  Let’s declare that Christmas is about Jesus!

So from my family to yours:

Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

O’ Come let us come and adore Him!

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!

Point to ponder: Do we want our children to believe in the temporary “magic” of Santa Claus or grow up believing in the eternal MIRACLES of Jesus Christ?

If you like this post then I know you will enjoy watching 4 year old, Avery Winter, as she sings Happy Birthday Jesus!

“Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.”  Proverbs 3:27, NLT

Who are the real heroes of our day anyway? Is it those with money and fame?  Is it those with honored titles and positions? I don’t believe so…the real heroes of our day are people like Leigh Ann Tuohy and our American Soldiers. Below is an article I found about Leigh Ann Tuohy and how the movie, “The Blind Side,” was filmed in order to share with the world how she and her family made a difference in the life of one teen boy…and by the way, if you haven’t seen this movie yet - go see it…it’s the best movie of the year in my opinion!! There is also an opportunity below for you and me to make a difference in the life of a soldier this Christmas…today we can make a difference!

Sandra Bullock: A blessing to meet, portray a real Christian

LOS ANGELES - Actress Sandra Bullock says meeting Leigh Anne Tuohy, who she portrays in The Blind Side, showed her there really are some Christians who “walk the walk.”

The film, which opened the week before Thanksgiving, presents the true story of the Tuohys — a well-off white family in Tennessee — who welcome a homeless black youth into their home and then adopt him as their son. That young man, Michael Oher, became an All-American selection for Ole Miss and a first-round draft pick. He now plays for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens.

Bullock says thanks to the Tuohys, who attend Grace Evangelical Church in Memphis, she now has “faith in those who say they represent a faith.” Getting to know Leigh Anne Tuohy, says the actress, showed her that religious faith can be authentic. “She was so open and honest and forthright,” Bullock shares, “and I said, wow, I finally met someone who practices but doesn’t preach.”

Tuohy isn’t like some hypocritical church-goers she’s known, adds Bullock. “The beauty of Leigh Anne was one of my biggest questions was how people use their faith and their religion as a banner,” she says. “And then they don’t do the right thing, but they go ‘I’m a good Christian and I go to church and this is the way you should live your life.’”

Bullock admits she was wary of Christians before she met the Tuohys. “Whereas…before I was like, do not give me a lecture on how to live my life when I know I’m a pretty decent human being,” says the actress. “I might not go to church everyday, but I know I do the right thing or try to. You’re going to church and you’re still sleeping around on your wife…how are you better than I am? So I finally met people who walk the walk.”

Leigh Anne Tuohy says she hopes The Blind Side inspires more people to help others. “You don’t have to go out and bring a child into your home — that’s not what’s required,” says Tuohy. “But you can do something — everybody is capable of doing something. So whatever your something is, do it well. Make a difference.”

Oher’s mom says she enforces a behavior code when she watches her adopted son play for the Baltimore Ravens. “I had to have a little ‘come to Jesus’ talk with my section at [the] Ravens’ stadium,” she says. “I had to explain to everyone that, okay, we’re going to have a change of attitude. There is a two-drink limit, there is no cussing in this [section]. You don’t know who you’re sitting next to — I’m a player’s mom.”

Read ‘The Blind Side’ should trouble as well as inspire (Commentary by Star Parker)

Now it’s our turn to make a difference….as Leigh stated above, we don’t have to bring a child into our home to make a difference…there are many ways we can impact lives around us.  Below is a way for us to make a difference in the lives of our troops this Christmas season. We can send them a free card wishing them a Merry Christmas and thanking them for their service to this Country…let’s do it…let’s make a difference!!!

This is a wonderful freebie, to send to someone else.  Xerox is running their Let’s Say Thanks program that sends cards to the troops for you.

1. Go here and pick a card.
2. Create your own message.
3. Hit send.

(thanks www.southernsavers.com)

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Please welcome again our guest writer for “Tuesdays With Tracy,” Carol Abersold. Carol is the best selling author of “The Elf On The Shelf: A Christmas Tradition.” She is currently traveling throughout America signing books and bringing smiles to children everywhere.  Please check out her wonderful website at:www.elfontheshelf.com. My daughter goes onto her website daily to create cookies, color, and play games.

I know you will be blessed by Carol’s devotional today and it’s timeless message to let your light shine this Christmas and everyday of the year.

“Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and give praise to your Father who is in heaven.”  Matthew 5:16

Although I had tried to faithfully serve the Lord for more than fifty years, my light, for all intents and purposes, was out.  I found myself in the blackest of pits mentally, physically and spiritually. I had been physically suffering with three herniated discs in my neck, my husband’s business was failing, and my in-laws let me know how much they disliked me after thirty-four years of pretense. I found myself curled up in a ball weeping and crying out to God for help, healing and deliverance.  All hope seemed gone.Why was I, a Sunday school teacher, amateur Bible scholar, a word believing, walking, talking Christian suffering from hopelessness?!! My usually strong husband was suffering from his own worries ( I was one of them), and I “turned to God” but He seemed to be on vacation.  What was the deal!

My oldest daughter came over to pray for me.  She took action and made an appointment for me to get professional Christian counseling, and she encouraged me to start writing.  My Eeyore-like reply was, “I have nothing to say.” Determined child (adult) that she is, she looked up on a shelf in my kitchen where my little pixie elf from childhood still remained even though the holidays were past.  “Why don’t we write a book about the elf tradition?” she said.  My reply was, “Oh, Chanda, nobody would want to read that……Okay.”

And so we began writing what turned out to be The Elf On The Shelf: A Christmas Tradition. While we were in the process of writing the story, I received the professional help I needed from Tracy Hurst. These two women, Chanda and Tracy, let the Lord use them to shine His light upon me. He graciously healed me from my pain,  the source of our financial drain was revealed to us, and most importantly… I got my light back.

The point is this: a Christian woman’s light never completely goes out, but it can grow extremely dim.  Perhaps, you, like I, need someone  to shine their light on you until you can get your “batteries recharged.” Don’t be afraid, just receive it.  In turn, when darkness seems present in another’s life do not hesitate to shine your God-given light.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, let me be equally as willing to be set alight, as to shed light. Let the Holy Spirit remind me not to lose heart, because I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Let me not be ashamed to seek proper help when my light seems to dim, and let me be a beacon shedding Your light on everyone I meet today. Amen.

For all you coupon lovers, click on over to my coupon site: www.couponswithtracy.blogspot.com. This week I highlight a $5 off target coupon for any Blu-ray disc, a $2 off coupon on Bertolli Frozen Meals (on sale this week for $6 and a $5 Gift Card when you buy 3) & I share a great price on chicken at Publix this week - just $1.59/LB - a great time to stock up!!

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!”

Psalm 105, 1-2, NKJ Version

I am thankful:

For the baby that wakes up
In the middle of the night,
Because it means I am
Blessed to be a parent.

For all the unanswered prayers
Which were never fulfilled,
Because it means that God had something better.

For the wife who serves leftover
Spaghetti for the third time this week,
Because it means she is feeding me and
Not someone else.

For the lonely times
When God feels far away,
Because it sharpens my ears
To hear God’s voice.

For the floors that need vacuuming,
The tables that need dusting and the
Bathrooms that need cleaning,
Because it means I have a home.

For the car that continually breaks down
And the rising gas prices,
Because it means I have transportation.

For all the angry and bitter
People in my life,
Because it gives me
A chance to love them unconditionally.

For the sink of dirty dishes,
Because it means I have two hands
And I was able to prepare a meal.

For the husband who constantly
Watches sports in the living room,
Because it means that he is
At home and not out with another woman.

For the list of phone calls to return,
Emails to be read and thank you notes to be mailed,
Because it means I have friends.

For the children who fuss
Over doing their homework,
Because it means they are safe
And at home with me.

For the boss and co-workers
That drive me crazy,
Because it means I have a job.

For the disagreement between
myself and another person,
Because it means we are
Working through an issue.

For the times when my prayers
Seem to go nowhere,
Because the prayer offered by a friend
Was exactly what I needed.

For the clothes that no longer fit,
Because it means I have plenty to eat.

For the wrinkles around my mouth,
Because it means I have had a reason to smile.

To live in America
Because it means that I can
Own a Bible and read it in public.

For the difficult days
Because it makes my good days
Even better!

In all things…Give thanks! Pass it on!

To watch my “Give Thanks” video on YouTube, click the YouTube button below:

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