Barbara's Banter

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)

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

Some words look insignificant, yet have great meaning. Although “but” is primarily a conjunction which connects two sentences or clauses, its use implies that everything following it will either contrast or contradict everything before. Looking closer, we find that little words can mean a lot.   

Charles Hughes was an American statesman who served in many government offices. When he was Secretary of State in the 1920s, he had to attend many foreign conferences where he would need an interpreter for each language spoken. He gave his interpreters strict instructions to only give him the gist of what was being said, not a word-for-word interpretation. However, Hughes told them that whenever a speaker used the word “but” he wanted an exact interpretation of each word that followed it. He knew that what followed the word “but” in a sentence was of utmost importance.

When you put the word “but” with God, it is POWERFUL!!!! When we read the Bible God wants us to focus on what comes after the “but” not before, because what comes after usually shows God’s power and might. I like looking for the phrase “but God” in the Bible. Here are a couple of examples.

Ephesians 2:1-3 goes into great detail describing how we were dead in our sins, disobedient, gratifying the cravings of our flesh, following wrong desires, and deserving of wrath. We are all dirty rotten sinners, but notice the next two verses. “But God, who is rich in mercy and has great love for us, has made us alive with Christ by His grace and raised us up to sit with Christ in heavenly places.” Too many of us want to focus on what we were, not on what God has done for us and who we are now in Christ.

Years after Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, they were reunited. The brothers were afraid he would try to get revenge but Joseph said, “Don’t be afraid. You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done” (Genesis 50:19).  The New Testament account says Joseph’s brothers were “moved with envy and sold Joseph into Egypt but God was with him” (Acts 7:9-10). When people do bad things that affect us, God can turn it all around because He is with us, too.

Satan likes to bombard us with negative thoughts but God has other things in mind. Satan wants us to feel like what we’ve done is unforgivable but God forgives us (1 John 1:9). Satan wants us to think no one loves us but God loves us (John 3:16).

I often have to remind myself that what I think or feel might not be accurate. Sometimes I feel alone but God says He will never leave or forsake me (Hebrews 23:5). I’m thankful for every “but God” thought that comes to mind because the world wants to fill me with discouragement but God wants to fill me with joy.

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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…

Monday is Memorial Day which honors our American soldiers who lost their lives defending our country. There is something quite special about people giving up their lives for someone else. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” It has to be even more meaningful when you lay down your life for those who may not really understand or appreciate it.

As a young child I was a bit confused about the meaning of Memorial Day. In school, we learned that it was a somber time dedicated to honoring those who died in wars. In the Midwest, our family called it Decoration Day. Each year we would travel from St. Louis to the countryside of southeast Missouri—where my folks grew up. All the relatives would gather at cemeteries and put flowers on the graves of loved ones who had died during wars. Old people would reminisce about days gone by and the kids would sneak around to run, jump, and play.

As an older child I couldn’t understand why a day devoted to those who died fighting for the freedoms of our country was called a holiday. When I thought of a “holiday” I always thought of celebrations, parties, or vacations. Sadly, that seems to be what it has become—a three-day-weekend to have more time for ourselves.

There was a time when almost every man living had fought in some war for our country. Since our freedoms have become somewhat secure, fewer men have had to do this. However, many died so we could be free. Memorial Day commemorates the death of all those who lost their lives in military service to protect our freedoms. Memorial Day is a time to remember them.

God is very big on us remembering things. In fact, He was constantly reminding the Israelites to remember all He had done for them (Deuteronomy 7:12, 8:2). He wanted them to remember how He had delivered them to freedom (Deuteronomy 5:15). I guess freedom was just as big a deal in biblical times as it is today.

I’m thankful for Memorial Day and a reminder to be grateful for those who gave their lives in the past for the freedoms I enjoy in this country today.

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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’m so thankful to have a Bible to read. I don’t have to wait for Moses to come down from a mountain with a tablet of stone to hear what God has to say. I don’t have to wait for Paul’s next parchment epistle to arrive in the mail. I have access to God, His thoughts, and His example at my fingertips. What a blessing!

In biblical times, the average person did not have access to a Bible. Only religious leaders had a copy of the Bible and probably not in total. That’s why public reading of Scripture was important. Paul refers to this when he says, “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine” (1Timothy 4:13).   

Many at that time were illiterate, so they weren’t just grabbing their Bibles and heading over to Joe’s house for an impromptu Bible study. When the Bereans were commended for searching Scriptures daily, they were making an effort to get together with someone who could read and had access to portions of the Bible (Acts 17:11). Reading or studying the Bible was a shared activity with people supporting and encouraging one another.

Once the Bible was canonized, Scriptures were copied by hand. Emperors like Constantine or religious authorities would sanction that Scriptures could be copied by scribes. This was a huge, laborious undertaking. Each word had to be carefully formed in ink with no room for error since there was no “Wite-out” or “Correcto-type” available.

During the Middle Ages, several thousand monasteries were established across Europe to copy the Bible. Teams of scribes and artists produced magnificent parchments filled with beautiful artwork. Most people in the Middle Ages couldn’t read, so these pictures, designs, and illustrations were very popular. Of course, a lot of these Bibles were huge and expensive—not available to the common man. They would be put on display at some churches, monasteries, and universities. Years ago I saw some of these inspiring manuscripts displayed at the Getty Museum in Southern California. Unbelievable works of art!

When the printing press came along in the 1400s, the flood gates of information became available to ordinary, everyday people. Many were skeptical of this new invention, but the printing press was actually the Internet of its time. Eventually literacy and access to books became widespread. The Bible became accessible to the average person—people like us.  

What a privilege! We can daily be reminded of who Christ is and what He has done for us. We have examples to follow and not to follow. We can have identity, purpose, comfort, strength, and hope at our fingertips. Of course, to gain these benefits, we would have to actually read it! I guess that’s the tricky part.

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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 am thankful for stuff—and by that I mean physical possessions. However, most of us would admit we have too much stuff. There is even an old song called Too Much Stuff. Too much stuff leads to clutter. Since I function best with an uncluttered life, I’m constantly trying to simplify and throw stuff out!

Being a writer, I love the word “stuff” because it has a bazillion meanings. People got lots of “stuff.” People strut their “stuff.” People know their “stuff.” People show their “stuff.” People pick their “stuff” up and put it away. People spread their “stuff” all around. Honored baseball pitchers have what is known as tremendous “stuff.” People buy “stuff.” People sell “stuff.” People “stuff” envelopes. At Christmas, we “stuff” stockings.

People have the “stuff” of greatness. Some people “stuff” their heads with knowledge. In fact, a little knowledge can be heady “stuff.” People “stuff” their faces. People “stuff” their pockets. People “stuff” their bags. People “stuff” their birds. Some people are “stuffed” shirts. People dish out “stuff” in conversations. Some people take that “stuff” from others and some people don’t. And all people go through “stuff” they don’t want to go through. “Stuff” happens.

At times, we all wish we had other people’s “stuff” instead of our own. People got lots of “stuff” and sometimes their “stuff” looks better than our “stuff.” Some of us carry around a lot of excess emotional and psychological “stuff” that weighs us down and prevents us from making the progress we’d like to make. Sometimes the “stuff” others are going through doesn’t seem as hard as the “stuff” we’re going through. But one thing is for sure. All people got “stuff” they have to put up with. No one goes through life without dealing with “stuff.”

God never promised us we wouldn’t have “stuff” to deal with or “stuff” to go through. However, He did say He wouldn’t give us more “stuff” than we could handle (1 Corinthians 10:113). He also said that we should be content with such “stuff” as we have for He would never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He promised to be our strength when bad “stuff” happens (Psalms 37:39). He tells us that those who trust in their “stuff” will fall, but those who trust in God won’t (Proverbs 11:28).

When people have God in their lives, they can take just about any old “stuff” this world throws at them. God helps us keep perspective when “stuff” happens. And only God has the right “stuff” to guide, protect, provide, strengthen, comfort, deliver, and help us on our daily journey with Him. With that in mind, all other “stuff” pales to insignificance. 

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