Barbara's Banter

It Is Good to Be Thankful: Appreciation makes the world a better place…

Years ago—before moving pictures, visual effects, and technology that constantly shocks the senses—people seemed to appreciate their surroundings more. They realized that life itself is a miracle. The whole universe is a miracle. These are not chance happenings, but actual miracles. Perhaps the following classic authors and poets were on to something…

Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miracle in the common.”

John Donne: “There is nothing that God hath established in a constant course of nature . . . but would seem a Miracle, and exercise our admiration, if it were done but once.” Donne was referring to things such as flowers blooming, the sun rising, the stars appearing in the sky, or a rainbow. Perhaps if we had seen that oak tree grow strong and tall from one little acorn in fast motion, before our very eyes, we might consider it a miracle. 

Walt Whitman: “To me, every hour of the light and dark is a miracle…. Every cubic inch of space is a miracle. . .”

Sometimes we are so busy looking somewhere else for a miracle we can’t see the ones before our very eyes. In Mark 8:18 (NIV), Jesus told the disciples, “Do you have eyes but fail to see…?” The same might apply to us. That was certainly the case with those who were looking for Christ to come in biblical times. Since they were looking for a Messiah descending from heaven with a flaming sword of righteousness they did not recognize the Christ child in the manger as their Savior. They missed what was right before their eyes.

How much do we miss every day? Can we see God in everyday miracles? Miracles like…

• Finding your lost car keys without having to spend all day looking for them
• Losing your Visa card with absolutely no idea of where it might be when Target unexpectedly calls to say you left it there
• A note of appreciation
• The grocery line being short when you are in a hurry
• Singing your lungs out in the car because your favorite oldies song came on the radio
• Your son from college calls to say, “I just wanted to tell you how much I love you” and doesn’t even ask for money
• All the lights being green on your way to work
• Enjoying the shade of an oak tree or the vibrant colors in a flower garden 
• A cold glass of ice water on a hot, hot day
• A healthy child being born
• Another day of life

I’m so thankful for everyday miracles. If we don’t recognize and appreciate the everyday miracles in our ordinary lives, it’s likely we won’t recognize the bigger ones when they come our way.

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“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord...” ~ Psalms 92:1 (KJV)

It Is Good to Be Thankful: Appreciation makes the world a better place…

The pandemic has changed the face of church as we knew it. Many churches closed their doors due to COVID-19 and never reopened. Those who did reopen found that attendance was way down and that providing some sort of online service was almost mandatory to keep functioning. Some people are still uncomfortable being in large groups. Others have grown accustomed to the convenience of a Zoom church service.

Many who choose to go back to church find it’s not the way it used to be. Church singing or choral music may be restricted. Those wonderful potlucks have scaled down quite a bit. Cookies and coffee may become the norm. Keeping everyone connected, offering support, and maintaining a spiritual bond with others is quite a challenge.

I’ve heard so many pine for the past. However, nostalgia can be a flawed idealization of what used to be. I’m not saying we didn’t have some good times, but if we are truthful, church change was in the air before the pandemic. In some ways, it just hastened what was already happening.

Yes, we had some good times! Should we lament what we think we’ve lost from the past and try to recapture those “good old days?” Or should we be thankful for what we had so those good times are not wasted? After all, they may have laid the foundation for whatever God is choosing to do now. God moves on. He is not stuck in the past. He is not tied to tradition or the way we would like things to be.

We, like so many previous church history generations, won’t really know what God is doing right now until it is done. If we knew, we wouldn’t need faith and all those spiritual attributes we learn about in the Bible—God’s Word.

I know I’ve used the example of Zerubbabel rebuilding King Solomon’s temple many times, but it really speaks to me about not looking back at the way things used to be but looking forward to what God is doing now. Rebuilding this second temple was a long, arduous project. Plus, this rebuilding seemed pitiful and small (Zechariah 4:10) compared to the grandeur and splendor that once was (Haggai 2:3). Yet, it was God’s work. Sometimes we forget that God is in charge.

Lamenting about what once was can leave us stagnant. Perhaps it’s better to work with what we have available, ask for God’s guidance, move forward, and embrace what lies ahead. I’m so thankful God is in control. We may not always know what God is doing, but we can rest assured that He has everything under control.

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“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord…” ~ Psalms 92:1 (KJV

It Is Good to Be Thankful: Appreciation makes the world a better place…

Today is always the first day of the rest of your life. It is also “…the day the Lord has made…” and we are admonished to “…rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalms 118:24). Just think about it! Each new day is a gift from God. So I want to spend it by rejoicing, being glad, and offering thanks. 

Here’s my little morning ritual. When I awake I immediately thank God for a few things. First, if I’ve gotten a good night’s sleep, I praise God for it. Sleep is such a precious commodity for me. I’ve always functioned best with around eight to nine hours. I can get by a few days with less, but I’m not at my optimum. I consider sleep a gift from God.

Secondly, I’ve been thanking God if my knee feels good. My right knee is tricky. It likes to “go out” but forgets to take me along. It buckles with no warning. So I try to bend it a few times in the morning and thank God that I can still do that. There may come a time when I can’t.

Even on mornings when I haven’t slept well or the knee feels tricky, I try remember to thank God for a brand new day. Each day is a day the Lord has made and we are commanded to rejoice and be glad in it, so I want be thankful for each new day. As my old cartoon pal Maxine says, “Any day on this side of the flower bed is a good day.”

Even during days that seem so busy or out of control, we can rejoice because God is with us. Each day we can ask God to help us focus on the most important things of life. God gives us what we need to make it through another day—our daily bread (Matthew 6:11, Luke 11:3).  God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23).

Each day is an opportunity to learn more about Jesus. Each day we can ask God to fill us with His thoughts. Each day is a chance to make a difference in the world through a smile or a word of encouragement. Each day we can spread the joy of Jesus.

Today is very special. It’s not my birthday. It’s not my anniversary. I’m not on vacation. I didn’t win the lottery. It’s not Christmas or New Years. So why is it so special? Because today is a gift from God. Today is the first day of the rest of my life and with God’s help, I can rejoice and be glad in it!

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“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord...” ~ Psalms 92:1 (KJV)

It Is Good to Be Thankful: Appreciation makes the world a better place…

Some people lament that they don’t have any friends but that’s not really true if they have Jesus in their lives. Imagine getting a notification from Facebook saying: Jesus wants to be your friend. Would you press the accept icon?  We should because Jesus really does want to be our friend. I’m so thankful because as the old song goes, “What a friend we have in Jesus!”

People will always disappoint us. Even our best friends can sometimes let us down, but Jesus never will. We will never find a more faithful, loyal, or encouraging friend. He’s our cheerleader. No matter what we go through, He is with us all the way. He’ll never leave or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  

Jesus told the disciples, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).

The disciples might have been surprised when Jesus called them friends but that’s how He felt. He walked with them, talked with them, and even washed their feet. He shared intimate details of His own relationship with God the Father and invited them to participate in that relationship.  

Jesus also said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). I guess He meant it because that’s what He did. He died for His disciples and He died for us.  

There is no better friend to have than Jesus. Just think about it. He accepts us unconditionally. He loves us when we are unlovable. He wants to spend time with us. He wants only the best for us. He rejoices with us when we accomplish something. He comforts us when we are weary. He picks us up when we fall. He stays with us when we are frightened. He cries with us when we are sad. He laughs with us when we are happy. That’s what friends do. 

As we travel life’s highway, friends can come and go. Sadly, some BFFs will drift out of our lives and become distant memories. Sometimes they move and it’s hard to stay in contact. Sometimes they get offended and no amount of apologizing can soothe the hurt. Sometimes they change and don’t want to have us in their inner circle any more. However, the friendship with Jesus can remain constant.

Jesus does not change. If our friendship with Jesus dwindles, it’s because we no longer desire to be friends with Him. We will always be welcome into that Trinitarian “in-crowd”—that inner circle of friends—Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and us.

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“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord...” ~ Psalms 92:1 (KJV)

It Is Good to Be Thankful: Appreciation makes the world a better place…

Friends are important. Unfortunately, we are fast becoming a friendless society. Today’s social climate does not lend itself to building friendships. In fact, our world is moving towards social isolation. We can work at home, shop online, and have products delivered to our door. We can bank from a computer and get our entertainment on cable. With so little human interaction, building friendships is challenging.

Yet God created us to be relational. The Father, Son, and Spirit are relational and they invite us into that relationship with them. God did not create us to be alone. In the beginning, God said let us make man in our image (Genesis 1:26). Then God said it wasn’t good for man to be alone, so He made him a companion (Genesis 2:18).

The Bible is full of relational concepts. In fact, Ecclesiastes 4:10 says, “Pity the man without friends.” Every time scriptures say to do this or that to one another—it’s talking about building relationships with other people. We are told to love, honor, forgive, accept, serve, pray, and encourage one another. Plus much more.

While on earth, Jesus showed love for all His disciples, but He had a closer relationship with John (John 21:20, John 19:26). So there is definitely nothing wrong with having best friends. Best friends stick closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). They know us and love us anyway. They offer wise counsel. Even if they have to tell us something we don’t want to hear, it’s a little easier because we know they have our best interests at heart. Close friends encourage and strengthen us. They form a bond that is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:8-12). 

It takes a concentrated effort to have close friends (Proverbs 18:24). We are busy people and these friendships are time consuming. Although they can bring happiness, they can also bring heartache. Having friendships can make us vulnerable. Sometimes friendships end and it can leave a hole in our hearts. However, a good friendship is time well spent and a risk worth taking. 

I’m so thankful for the close friends I have. They know who they are! They don’t think less of me when I make mistakes. They accept me the way I am. They are loyal. They don’t betray a confidence and trust me in the same way. They lift me up when I’m down. They laugh at my quips and comfort me when I cry. They don’t necessarily agree with everything I say but try to understand my point of view. When I see their names on my caller ID it makes me smile. Being with them fills me with joy!

Did I mention that I’m thankful for my close friends? I am! They make me want to be a better person.  

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“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord...” ~ Psalms 92:1 (KJV)

It Is Good to Be Thankful: Appreciation makes the world a better place…

I love to sleep. I love my cozy bed. I’m not a morning person so I love to sleep in. Some people can get by on six hours a night, but not me. The recommended amount of sleep to function at one’s best is between seven to nine hours. I’m definitely a nine-hour person. I don’t always get that much, but would love it if I could. I can get by on seven hours for a night or two, eight is okay, but nine keeps me at optimal productivity level. Did I mention that I love to sleep?

Our bodies need to rest. Sleep is therapeutic, healing, and replenishing. Old sayings like “The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night’s sleep” and “a good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book” seem to be rooted in truth—at least in my truth.

Unfortunately, people find little time for sleep in this 24/7 world. The results are problems, frustrations, and anger. Poor sleep habits create mistakes and miscalculations. Lack of sleep affects concentration and coordination. Many driving accidents can be linked to driver fatigue. Not only does lack of sleep make people testy and accident-prone, it makes them vulnerable to disease and infection.

Years ago people went to sleep when it got dark. The invention of electricity and the light bulb changed all that. Today video games, television, and computers provide us with lots of late-night options. Grocery stores are open all night long. Telephone service is available all night long. We can literally wake up in a city that never sleeps all over the world.

Although I love to sleep, it doesn’t always come easy. The pressure and stress of life can weigh heavily on my mind. I have to constantly remind myself to lift my burdens up to God. Let go and let God! He has everything under control. Psalms 4:8 says, “I will lay me down in peace to sleep” for God makes me dwell in safety. I’m safe in God’s hands because He never slumbers or sleeps (Psalm 121:4).

Sometimes I forget that God stays awake 24/7 to watch over me so I can do one of my favorite things—sleep!  

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“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord...” ~ Psalms 92:1 (KJV)

It Is Good to Be Thankful: Appreciation makes the world a better place…

Having done a little travel, I really appreciate certain freedoms we enjoy in this country. Yes, we have major problems, but at least we can speak freely, worship where we choose, own a home, believe what we want, assemble, move from place to place, get an education, have a trial in a court, marry whom we choose, wear what we want, start a business, and chew gum.

Of course, we aren’t free to do whatever we want. Freedom shouldn’t give us license to deliberately hurt others. It can’t be used to abuse others, commit murder, steal, or rape. So we have some laws in place to protect our freedoms. We are free to drive a car and although we hate getting speeding tickets, we sort of like having those speed limits, traffic lights, and stop signs—especially for others. We may trust ourselves not to misuse our freedom, but we aren’t so sure about the other guy!

I’m also thankful for the freedom we have in Christ. Paul admonishes us to “stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free…” (Galatians 5:1). God no longer wants us to adhere to a long list of requirements to draw close to Him. There is no need for circumcision or being slaves to ordinances, sacrifices, and rituals. Righteousness is no longer measured by a list of dos and don’ts. Lists like that provided a certain comfort level because just following them made one feel assured of pleasing God. No one had to think about what was right or wrong. They just looked at a list. That was the old covenant—a physical approach to a physical law.

The new covenant is a spiritual approach. We have access to God directly. There is no need to jump through hoops to get His attention. He walks with us and talks with us. However, even though Paul reminds us to stand fast in this freedom, we are cautioned to use it wisely—the way God intended (Galatians 5:13-15). We are told not to pursue works of the flesh such as “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, murders, drunkenness, etc….” Rather we are encouraged to walk in the spirit of “joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,” and so on. (Galatians 5:19-22)

Any kind of freedom is a special gift. How we use it is up to us!

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“It is good thing to give thanks unto the Lord…” ~ Psalms 92:1 (KJV)

It Is Good to Be Thankful: Appreciation makes the world a better place…

I used to balk at the idea of being a witness for Christ (Acts 1:8). The word “witness” conjures up negative images of Christ being on trial in a court of law and I must testify to His innocence. I finally figured out that Christ does not need me to defend Him. However, He does want me to attest to what He has done in my life if someone should ask (1 Peter 3:15).

The Bible does not give us a formula for witnessing for Christ. There is no specific way presented for people to share the gospel. However, we have many examples of those from all walks of life who witnessed for Christ in their own way—the blind man, the Samaritan woman, Dorcas, Peter, Paul, Mary, Martha, Zacchaeus, Eunice, Luke—the list is endless. People led by God’s Spirit don’t all witness in the same way. God created us with various personalities. We all have different occupations, strengths, and weaknesses. As unique members of the body of Christ, we use what we have to glorify God in diverse ways.   

The best witness for Christ is how we live our lives. The early church knew this. They continued steadfastly doing what they had been taught. They met together, ate together, worshipped together, and prayed together. They were happy and got along with all the people (Acts 2:42-47). “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). The early church members devoted themselves to living a Christian life. That’s how they witnessed for Christ. They didn’t talk people into becoming Christians. They allowed the Holy Spirit to transform people into what Christ would have them be and then God added to the church.

I’m so thankful that being a witness for Christ is not as difficult as I thought. I don’t have to convince others to follow Christ. Christ does that. I don’t have to go out looking for people to “witness” to. God will do that. God will make sure I come in contact with the people He wants me to know. He will even put it in their hearts to ask me questions about Him that I can answer.

God is only allowing me to be part of His process because it’s really all about Him, not me.  

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“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord...” ~ Psalms 92:1 (KJV)

It Is Good to Be Thankful: Appreciation makes the world a better place…

When my dad got Alzheimer’s and had to go to a care facility, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. They kept telling him he had lung cancer and he kept telling them he didn’t. Perhaps that’s why he managed to stay alive nine months in their hospice unit. He was 84 when he finally passed away, but I really appreciated that additional time with him. 

He didn’t always recognize me when I entered his room but his face would light up. He’d say, “I can’t remember your name, but I know you. You are my daughter!” To me, that little recognition he had was a gift from God.

Our conversations were disjointed. Sometimes he could actually carry on a conversation and sometimes he couldn’t. However, he could always sing old gospel songs and hymns. He had a little cassette tape deck and he’d play the same songs over and over and over again. One of my fondest memories of the last months of his life was us singing the songs he taught me as a child. It was kind of funny in a way, because I never considered my dad a deeply religious man but he deeply believed in God.

We’d sing and sing and sing. “Just a closer walk with thee…” “A mighty fortress is our God…” “Oh they tell me of an unclouded day…” “I’ll fly away, oh glory…” “What a friend we have in Jesus…” “Rock of ages cleft for me…” “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine…” “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe…” “Amazing grace how sweet the sound…” “How great thou art…” “I come to the garden alone…” “It is well with my soul…” “I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop…” We loved to sing together.

When we’d sing, “What a friend we have in Jesus…” he’d look over at me and say, “You know that’s true, don’t you? Don’t ever forget it!”

I love all songs that praise God, but there is something special about classic, traditional hymns. They have stood the test of time. Just as meaningful today as they were in the past, they expose us to a rich Christian heritage. Most are easy to sing and memorize which help embed Christian truths into our very being. It’s amazing how many of them come to mind as I travel life’s highway and go through trials. Those words become a sort of prayer when I feel too weary to pray.

Plus, these old gospel songs and hymns bond us to former generations. When I’m counting my blessings and naming them one by one, I count the time I spent with Dad in his latter years, singing hymns of praise to God.   

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“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord...” ~ Psalms 92:1 (KJV)

It Is Good to Be Thankful: Appreciation makes the world a better place…

When governor Zerubbabel was faced with the task of rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple, he faced many obstacles. Fifty years had passed since the Babylonian invasion left Jerusalem desolate and Solomon’s Temple (also known as the First Temple) burned to the ground. It became obvious this second temple would never have the grandeur of the first. Even after the foundation was laid, some old timers wept thinking of the comparison (Ezra 3:12).  

Yet, amidst this small beginning, God told the people not to be discouraged for the second temple would be completed through Zerubbabel. He also asked a rhetorical question that contains a life lesson for all of us. “For who hath despised the day of small things?” (Zechariah 4:10 KJV). The people could only see what was in front of them, not what God would do with it.

I admit that I suffer from this kind of tunnel vision. In a world that measures significance by size, it’s easy to think small things have little value. Yet little things mean a lot to God. Things like…

• Giving someone a cold drink of water (Matthew 10:42)
• Feeding the hungry (Matthew 25:43-45)
• Visiting those in prison (Matthew 25:43-45)
• Helping the fatherless and the widows (James 1:27)
• A widow’s mite (Mark 12:41-44)
• Sharing what little you have (John 6:9-13)
• Little children (Matthew 18:1-5)
• Little flocks (Luke 12:32)

The parables are full of analogies made with small things: one talent, sowing seeds, a lost coin, one lost sheep, a grain of mustard seed, and a little leaven. The list could go on and on.

What about people? David, a mere shepherd boy, used a slingshot to kill Goliath. A small boy helped feed a multitude with three fishes and five loaves of bread. Jesus was born in a stable in some obscure town, yet offers salvation to the world.

In fact, Jesus’s life was spent doing small things for others. We could call them acts of kindness. He comforted the sick. He befriended the sinner. He hung out with the fishermen. He paid attention to little children. He washed the disciples’ feet. He told us if we wanted to be great we should do the same thing—learn to serve others (Mark 10:42-45).   

God does not measure significance by size. There can be power in small things. A little match can cause a big fire. A tiny acorn can produce a giant oak tree. Little drops of water can fill an ocean. Tiny grains of sand can make a beach. I’m thankful that God can take any little thing I do and multiply it for His glory.

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“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord...” ~ Psalms 92:1 (KJV)