Sunday, August 10, 2014

Thank-you. It Matters.

" Then Jesus asked, Were not [all] ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was there no one found to return and to recognize and give thanks and praise to God except this alien?"   ... Luke 17:17, 18
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Wild, huh? Jesus heals ten men with leprosy and only 1 returned to thank Him. All week I've been thinking, "Wow. If Jesus was perturbed and grieved about 9 men not bothering to say thanks for His help, most likely we should always thank people who shared with us what Jesus spoke/did through them.
And I am ready to be faithful in doing that, you know, recognizing when Jesus specifically spoke inspiration or comfort or encouragement to me through a blog post, an email, a Facebook update, a sermon, a lesson which came by a chance meeting uptown or online. And then saying thank-you every instance, even when it requires a sacrifice of my time.
I want to more clearly see the ways Jesus taught/brought me something by way of another person and then thank both Jesus and the person. I'm thinking that thanking both matters in huge ways I'm not even yet aware of.

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"The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”   ... Psalm 50:23

"And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live" ... Ephesians 4:30.

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.
    Author: Albert Schweitzer
When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.
    Author: G.K. Chesterton


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Brenda's latest post about home beverage bars inspired me to create one with a $1 estate sale shelf. My own beverage bar area is tiny, ok, but I'm enjoying it and the extra space it freed-up inside my cupboard:


When you live in a small house you're always thinking of ways to make your space more efficient. Trust me, always I'm meditating on how I can increase storage space around here.  :)


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Hooray! After 7 weeks away, Tom arrives home tomorrow evening! He'll leave at 12:45 pm today (my time) so that will be one very long trip. If you'd pray for his safety and that of his partner, Dennis, we'd be ever so grateful. Thank-you!

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"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name."  ... Psalm 100:4

"We always thank God for all of you, remembering you constantly in our prayers" ... 1 Thessalonians 1:2.




4 comments:

Judy said...

Praying for Tom as he travels, and for a happy reunion!

The little shelf is SO cute! Our home seems large when it is just Steve and I, but when the six grand kids are here - oh, my!

Rosemary said...

What a perfect use for your little shelf, Debra. Also, I noticed your photos and art on the side wall work so well together. I get confused when trying to arrange artwork. Any tips on how you decide placement?

Debra said...

Judy--thanks for praying! And how nice to have a house that seems huge at least some of the time. heh. I so love the way you decorate! So homey and cozy.

Rosemary--thanks for your nice words! There are three hints I've read before which I usually try to follow when hanging artwork: have similar frames, similar subject matter/colors and when you hang them, have the inches between them all be relatively the same. Hope that helps!

Thanks, Ladies, for taking the time to comment... Blessings, Debra

Crown of Beauty said...

This is my first time here, but I did enjoy the message about the 1 leper who took time to return to say thank you to Jesus. And you are so right about taking time, making the effort to say thanks - to someone who has touched your life in a big or small way, and to thank Jesus as well.

So... thank you.

Very heartwarming blog with heart felt words.

Blessings on your day and the new week ahead.