Barbara's Banter

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

To me, one of the most joyous sounds in the whole world is laughter. Those who know me well know I love to laugh. I guess when people first meet me, I don’t emit that kind of vibe. Years ago I took a little speaking workshop and in my evaluation, the teacher told me that when I speak to new groups, I should let everyone know to feel free to laugh if something I say strikes them as funny. This advice has served me well through the years.

The health benefits of laughter are many. Studies show that laughter can boost the immune system, provide higher pain tolerance, increase respiratory capacity, reduce heart attack risk, help control diabetic blood sugar levels, relax muscles, decrease stress hormones, and curb allergy symptoms. Some findings even show that laughter can have some of the same positive effects as exercise. Although, that rumor may have been started by someone who hates to exercise.

The world eventually found out that what God told us years ago is true: “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” (Proverbs 17:21)

Our family has many funny stories we like to recall and laugh about when we get together. Many know that my husband, whom I affectionately nicknamed Zorro, has been a big source of laughter. So much so that I even wrote a book about him. However, other family members have given us a few chuckles as well.  

When our son Matthew was doing a grade school project on Chicago, we discovered too late that his poster said “Chigogo” instead of Chicago. That was one very funny project.   

When our daughter Sherisa was little she did not want to be considered “little,” so when we told her she was a “little mess” she replied indignantly, “I am not a little mess! I’m a big mess!”

Once we were leaving the library when my daughter Shelly was small. For some unexplainable reason, as we approached the door she turned around and in a loud voice said, “You all come see us sometime.”

When we get together for holidays we sometimes drink mimosas. I always had what I call a “poor man’s” mimosa which means I don’t want the champagne but a little seltzer water with the orange juice instead. When our granddaughter was about six she volunteered to get me a refill. She went into the kitchen and announced, “Grandma will have another homeless mimosa.”  

The list could go on and on.

We are made in God’s image, so God must laugh. I’m so thankful God created laughter and gave it His stamp of approval for “indeed, it is very good!” (Genesis 1:31)

*****

“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…

From the beginning to the end of the Bible, we see people praying. (Genesis 4:26; Revelation 22:21) Daniel prayed 3 times a day. David called upon God with his whole heart. Elijah prayed on the mountain top. Jesus spent a great deal of time in prayer. Paul and Silas prayed in the dungeons of prison. People prayed when they were happy. People prayed when they were sad. We have all these examples, plus multitudes of commands and myriads of promises all connected to prayer. Why?

One obvious reason is that prayer is a vital tool that keeps us connected to God. We can’t participate in a relationship with someone we don’t spend time with. Another is that prayer acknowledges God’s greatness and our desire to have Him lovingly rule our lives. Prayer shows our love for God. Prayer shows our reverence for God. Prayer puts our trust in God.

I also think God wants us to pray because He knows how much we need Him in our lives. So deep are our needs that we cannot afford to cease praying. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) We all have individual emotional needs, spiritual needs, physical needs, psychological needs, and abstract needs. We need forgiveness, mercy, patience, joy, and love. Only God can truly fulfill our needs and the needs of those we lift to Him in prayer. Prayer shows our dependence on God to provide what we cannot.

Jesus encouraged His followers to pray. (Luke 18:1) It’s interesting to note that the disciples did not ask Jesus to teach them to preach; they asked Him to teach them to pray. (Luke 11:1) This is especially interesting considering the Jews were not strangers to the concept of prayer. In fact, the Pharisees thought they knew how to do it perfectly. They were diligent with the mechanics of prayer, making it a ritualistic exercise the common man could never hope to achieve.

However, the disciples discovered from hanging around with Jesus that something was missing in this kind of prayer. There was no sincerity or “heart” in those prayers. For true prayer is a heart to heart conversation with God. True prayer is heartfelt.

Heartfelt prayer changes us. As we pray we draw near to God and He draws near to us. (James 4:8) We are humbled by God’s presence. He is great and we are not. In God’s presence, we are less anxious. In God’s presence, there is strength, peace, and calm. (Philippians 4:7) Our perspective on life changes as His thoughts become our thoughts.

God yearns for us to talk freely and spontaneously with Him—in our own words. We don’t need eloquence, meaningless repetition, or excess verbiage. (Matthew 6:7) I’m so thankful that prayer is not a complicated process. It is merely heartfelt communication with God.

*****

“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…

As Christians, one of our primary goals is to participate in a relationship with Jesus Christ. We do this through prayer, plus studying and meditating on God’s Word. However, we need to be incorporating what we learn into our lives. (James 1:22) After all, we were created to do good works. (Ephesians 2:9)

Good works do not earn us salvation. (Ephesians 2:8) We do them because we are saved. We do them because God loves us and we want to show our love to others. These good works glorify God. (Matthew 5:16) Of course, if good works are to truly glorify God, they need to align with God’s will for others, not our own. Plus, we can’t afford to get so busy doing these physical good works that we lose our spiritual focus.

Life is a balancing act, so we need to prioritize. When we say yes to some things, we must say no to others because we can’t do it all. Trying to do too much can lead to health problems, stress, depression, anxiety, and sleeplessness. Once we get overwhelmed, we are in danger of a “crash and burn” scenario. Then we are no good to anyone, especially ourselves. We can’t afford to become “weary in well doing.” (Galatians 6:9)

I must admit that to avoid weariness, I have to continually guard against overcommitting. So when I’m already maxes out, instead of saying yes to every good deed opportunity, worthy cause, or something I’m uniquely qualified to do, I might say something like, “No thank you. I’m very flattered that you asked me, but I already have a lot going on at this time. However, I’ll be sure to pray that you find the right person to do this.”

I’ve learned not to apologize, go into specifics, or over-explain. Too much detail keeps the dialogue open for discussion and possibly feeling pressured into saying yes. Believe it or not, saying no doesn’t kill us. Believe it or not, someone else can do it if it really needs to be done. Believe it or not, not every project needs to be done.

Even with setting priorities and saying no a lot, I’m still a busy person. Sometimes I moan and groan about having so much to do, but if I’m honest, I’m thankful for what God allows me to do. It gives me a reason to get out of bed each morning and get going! If I overextend, it’s really my fault not His. Christ came so I could have an abundant life. (John 10:10) I can’t help but think an abundant life includes doing a few good works here and there.     

*****

“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’ve been reading biblical accounts about Barnabas. His real name was Joseph, but was given the name Barnabas by the apostles which means “Son of Encouragement.” (Acts 4:36) What a lovely nickname! Synonyms for encouragement might be to bolster, alleviate, reassure, console, comfort, restore, strengthen, brighten, refresh, and inspire.

Those of us who have people like Barnabas in our lives are indeed fortunate. I’ve had a few and I can tell you I’m truly thankful for them. They have that rare ability to walk alongside you and make you feel like what you are doing has value.

Plus, Barnabas could discern beyond what others only saw on the surface. Perhaps that’s why he had a crucial role in the apostles accepting Paul’s conversion. Why would anyone believe Paul had accepted Jesus? After all, he had tried to destroy the early Christian movement. He aggressively persecuted believers, imprisoned them, and did everything he could to get them to renounce their faith. No way the apostles would ever believe Paul had changed. Yet, Barnabas had perceived the change in Paul and spoke up for him. (Acts 9:27) I’m sure Paul found that very encouraging. 

Encouragement is so important because it goes straight to the heart of a person. In fact, in Latin “en” means to “put into” and “cor” means “the heart.” Put into the heart. I’ve heard it said that one word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than a hundred words of praise during a success. The Bible is full of scriptures exhorting us to encourage each other. (Ephesians 4:29, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 13:3, etc.) 

I look at encouragers as Christ’s representatives here on earth. Their mission is to “put into the heart” of people the thought that they are appreciated and that someone cares. When we are encouraged, it should inspire us to encourage others because encouragement is a two-way street—a win-win scenario. Not only does it encourage the recipient, but the giver as well. (Romans 1:11-12)

*****

“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…

Jesus must have been curious when He asked His disciples, “Whom do men say that I am?” Some said He was John the Baptist, some said Elias, some said a prophet, and so on. (Matthew 16:13-17)

When Peter was asked, he replied, “You are Christ, the son of the living God.” It pleased Jesus that Peter realized this. After all, Christ knew who He was even if those He came in contact with weren’t quite sure.

How about us? Do we know who we are?

A lot of people are confused today about who they are. They try to define themselves based on their occupation, looks, education, success, money, or lack of money. If someone asks me who I am, I could say… a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, niece, teacher, friend, humorist, speaker, and writer who loves music, traveling, watching old movies, laughter, reading, writing, learning new things, and spending time with friends, especially my family.

However, my true identity is in Christ, so I always start by saying that I am a child of God. (1 John 3:1) When I turned my life over to Jesus, I became His. I know who I truly am!

I know I am a chosen child of God who is accepted, forgiven, redeemed, saved, eternally loved, blessed, and victorious. My self-worth comes through God’s eyes, not my own nor the world around me. I am a new creation, a priceless masterpiece, a light in a world of darkness, salt of the earth, and a friend of Jesus. I am justified, sanctified, and free from condemnation. And although I am a work in progress, I am already complete in Christ. 

The Bible says that as a man thinks, so he is. (Proverbs 23:7) In other words, how we perceive ourselves makes a difference in how we act, how we react, and how we live. I’m so thankful I know who I am. Who are you?

*****

“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…

People want so desperately to have others truly understand them, know where they are coming from, and why they do what they do. This can be difficult because we all process life experiences differently. We cannot make others think or feel the same way we do. We cannot convince people to always understand our point of view.

Sometimes I wonder if it isn’t more important to try to understand others, than to force them to understand us. Even if we can’t totally understand them, we can validate their feelings, accept them as they are, and let them know we care. That doesn’t mean we condone everything. It just means we offer a willing heart that listens and tries to hear them.

The world can be a lonely place when we think no one understands. But to be honest, I sometimes don’t even understand myself, so how could I expect others to understand me?

That’s one reason why I’m so thankful for God. It comforts me to realize God knows and understands me. He understands you, too. God knows what emotional baggage we’re dealing with. God knows why certain events or statements trigger a negative reaction in us. God feels our pain and sorrow. God even knows what will make us happy, more than we do.

Sometimes when I feel alone and like no one understands, I read Psalm 139:1-12. If I ever doubt that God knows me, these verses make it clear that He does. He knows me—the real me, not the me I want to project to others so they will like me. He understands me. He comprehends what I do and why I do it. He is acquainted with all my ways. He knows why I say what I say. He formed me, so He knows my strengths and weaknesses. He is with me wherever I go. If I hold His hand, He will gently lead and guide me.

And here’s the best part…God knows and understands me, but loves me anyway. (1 John 3:1) I can accept that, but I find it hard to understand.

*****

“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 we accept Jesus as our Savior, we become a new person. (1 Corinthians 5:17) We forsake our old ways and embrace our new life in Christ. (Ephesians 4:22) However, this does not happen instantly. It is a life-long process which includes the renewing of our minds. (Ephesians 4:23-24) This mind renewal is a continuation of the work God began in us, so we can grow in grace and knowledge to become more like Christ. (Colossians 2:9-10)

The Bible speaks a lot about renewing our minds. Romans 12:2 tells us not to conform to the world around us, but be transformed into the new creation by the renewing of our minds. Renewing our minds must include daily contact with God. Therefore, we must make space for God in our lives or we drift back to how we used to be. Plus, consistent contact with God is the only way we can stay spiritually strong.

A mighty oak tree only lives and thrives because its needs are being supplied. It drinks water and feeds on nutrients from the soil.  Christians can only be spiritually strong through a relationship with God, the source of everything we need. Spiritual renewal is why Paul could say, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” (1 Corinthians 4:16).  

Our spiritual lives cannot be sustained without daily renewal from God. Our bodies are replenished when we stay hydrated and eat nourishing food. Our souls gain strength by continuously feeding on God’s Word. Without this renewal, we are not equipped to withstand trials and problems we face. Without this renewal, the new creation we became in Christ will weaken, waste away, and wither.  

How we approach this daily renewal can make a big difference in how effective it is. Do we look forward to reading God’s Word or consider it an arduous duty? Do we ask God for joy when we pray or just present Him with a list of what we want? Do we see God’s hand in what is all around us or take blessings for granted?

I’m thankful God has offered me an opportunity to grow closer to Him day by day. His mercies are brand new everyday. (Lamentations 3:22-23) My desire to be renewed should be brand new everyday as well. It’s the only way my relationship with God can stay fresh, alive, vibrant, and relevant. Enjoying our daily renewal time with God allows us to thrive, not just survive. 

*****

“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…

How many of us have trusted salesmen but found they were untruthful, investors but found they were crooks, spouses but found out they committed adultery, evangelists but found they were preaching one way and living another, or politicians but found out they lied? It’s a disillusioning world. Yet, God is always faithful! He is the Rock of a foundation upon which we can build our lives.   

Galatians 5:22 tells us that faithfulness is a fruit of God’s Holy Spirit. The Greek word for faithfulness here is “pistos” which means to be trusted, reliable, believing, firmly persuaded, and having deep conviction. Other meanings would be standing fast, steadfast, loyal, devoted, trustworthy, dependable, resolute, and honest. It also speaks of endurance and a firmness of purpose that supersedes a just “grin and bear it” attitude when the living gets tough.  

“Pistos” is a powerful little word. It’s a very positive, active attribute of character and much needed in today’s flippant, irresponsible world.

God sets the example in faithfulness. He is the source and standard of faithfulness which He has demonstrated in His dealings with the human race. Sometimes I mentally sing the great old hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” to remind me of God’s faithfulness. The lyrics ring true. All we have needed God has provided. We can count on Him to be faithful. He does not change. He doesn’t get tired, weary, or fed up with us when we make mistakes. His compassion and mercy are constantly there for us. He is not slack concerning His promises. (2 Peter 3:9) He will never leave or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  

We can’t count on much in this disillusioning world, but we can count on God. How thankful I am for God’s faithfulness! 

*****

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord…” ~Psalm 92:1 (NKJ)

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

Remember the old Mission: Impossible television series? I’m not talking about those modern crash/bang movies starring Tom Cruise. I’m referring to the original weekly series where someone like a Mr. Phelps would receive a cassette tape with a limited amount of information on it. After he listened to it only once, it would self-destruct. Then he was expected to fulfill his mission.

The person on the tape would say something like, “As always, should you or any of your Mission Impossible Team be caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This tape will self-destruct in ten seconds. Good luck!” Just think! He only had ten seconds to absorb what he needed to know to carry out a mission. It’s a good thing Mr. Phelps knew what he was doing. If I had received that tape, the mission would be doomed. 

Sometimes I feel like my life is a doomed mission. I feel like I don’t have near enough information to carry out my earthly duties. I’m so thankful that God is my Mission Control or I would never make it. I’m operating on a “need to know” basis, and I must rely on God to let me know what I need to know when I need to know it. In a way, I’m flying blind. Flying blind is an expression that means to fly a plane in a low visibility area, relying on the plane’s instruments. In my case, I must rely on God.

In Isaiah 42:16, God says that He will bring the blind by a way they did not know. “I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them. I will make the crooked places straight. These things will I do for them and not forsake them.” 

Each day we face new challenges. Many days we are thrust into a different, unknown territory. We feel ill equipped to navigate areas with which we are unfamiliar. However, we can step into the unknown with confidence because God, our Mission Control, our Guide, our Provider has proven Himself faithful and true in our lives. He knows what lies ahead and sees what we cannot. We can rely on Him to lead us.

I’m so thankful that no mission is impossible when God is in control. (Matthew 19:26) 

*****

“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…

While in high school, our choir director had us sing the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah at a concert. I think that’s when I fell in love with the word hallelujah.

In college, I auditioned for the choir who was planning to sing Handel’s Messiah in the spring. When asked if I had ever sung Handel’s Messiah I said, “Yes!” When asked how much of it I sang I said, “All of it!” Perhaps this was the catalyst that got me accepted into the choir. However, imagine my surprise when they handed me this big thick book full of musical compositions which compiled the complete Handel’s Messiah. What I had sung in high school was only one small portion of this tome. Fortunately, I was a fast learner.

The word hallelujah first appeared in the Book of Psalms which dates back to the 5^th or 4^th century B.C. It is a rare word that was preserved intact when nearly every other Hebrew word in the Bible was translated first into Greek and then into Latin. So in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin it actually means the same thing—praise the Lord.

The word hallelujah is used in scriptures at least twenty-eight times. Ancient choral groups using the Psalms sang it and the great multitude gathered around the throne will cry out, “Hallelujah!” (Revelation 19:1-8) It’s like an eternal hallelujah full of perpetual praise. But praising God should not be just reserved for heavenly realms, it should encompass our daily lives.

I’m thankful for a word like hallelujah. To me, it has a lilting, melodic sound. It’s a word full of joy, exaltation, and exuberance. I love to say it throughout the day—not in a flippant way, but as a form of rejoicing. It constantly reminds me that God is worthy of all my praise. Plus, it acknowledges what God is doing in my life. I like to stay in a “hallelujah frame of mind,” one that is grateful and thankful for God’s blessings!  

Throughout the day we can praise God for His goodness, for His creation, for His mercy, for His love, for His protection, for His gift of salvation, for His wisdom, for His guidance, for His hope, for His promises, for His provision, for His joy, for His past deliverances, for His faithfulness—the list is endless.  

Each day we have an opportunity to practice praising God. Each morning we can awake and praise God. Each night we can go to sleep praising God. A hallelujah frame of mind can brighten our day and bring peace to each night.

*****

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