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Author Topic: Things to be thankful for  (Read 5227 times)

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Extol

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Things to be thankful for
« on: April 04, 2016, 08:09:46 PM »

In one of his teachings, Ray talked briefly about food. Paraphrasing, since I don't remember which audio: "We really should be thankful that we don't have to go hungry. I'm very aware of food. It's a really nice thing to have food to eat. I've been without it before and it's really something to be thankful for."

I can easily identify with this. I'm also VERY AWARE of how nice it is to be able to eat (and eat a lot). I'm thanking God many times every day for this blessing. Even though it's just a physical thing to satisfy the flesh, eating is one of the great joys of my life (sorry if that sounds pathetic.)  ;D

Besides food, here are a few of my other favorite things to do, and the things for which I'm most thankful:

Sight. Ray spoke about the wonder of the human eye (he had dreams of writing a 50-page paper on it.)  8) It's a marvelous thing to be able to see.

Hands/wrists. Like most people, I use my hands a lot as part of my job (I draw). With my hands, God has given me a successful, adventurous career. It would be a crushing blow to not have them.

Breathing. Breathing is awesome! I don't mean to sound New Age, but sometimes I just sit and breathe and think of nothing else but the breath I am taking, and God's goodness in giving it to me. It's a wonderful gift indeed; I couldn't live without it.  ;D

You may notice that all four of these things have something in common: they're things that are so ordinary that they're easy to take for granted. I meditate on these, I think about them every day and thank God constantly for them. I know there are people who cannot enjoy these things as much (and some who can't enjoy them at all), so I'm very, very thankful and make an effort to not take them for granted. God is so good to me. This attitude of giving thanks always for all things (Eph. 5:20) is a good way to live, and it can positively effect other areas of your life. For example, today I was out doing errands, and something happened which was going to add 30 minutes of driving time for. For a very short time I was a bit annoyed, until I realized how insignificant, how petty, it was to fuss about that. I can SEE, I am ALIVE, driving another 30 minutes is nothing at all. In fact I couldn't drive at all if I didn't have my eyes and hands.  :-X
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stello

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Re: Things to be thankful for
« Reply #1 on: April 04, 2016, 09:06:34 PM »

Hi Extol,

total agreement with all that you are thankful for, i feel the same. I want to add that i am thankful that we will all be saved and there will be righteousness!! Before God opened my eyes to the truth i was in such distress about going to "heaven or hell" and my friends and family and just about anyone going there. But now there are times i just get a little emotional and thank God that we will all be part of his family.

I can't remember the audio you are referring to but i do remember Ray talking about some things he was thankful for. I use what he said as an example and i try to be thankful for just about everything. My job, clothes, the car , the bed , the television, the computer, my wife!!! friends and family, bible-truths.com!!!!! Everyone here!!!

Stello
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Job 13:15 "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him."

acomplishedartis

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Re: Things to be thankful for
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2016, 09:50:18 PM »


Ey Jesse, what a good reflection.   Food, eyes, breath, and hands. I still have them all : )   I would add:

for this day that God have designed in great detail for me, and the not-extreme weather were I find my self.

my friends .

and everybody else!



I am trying to get better to truly thank God for my weaknesses and present trials... I really want to be thankful from the deep of my heart, not just to say it over and over again.
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Porter

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Re: Things to be thankful for
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2016, 06:11:03 AM »

Great timing Jesse. Been thinking a lot lately about what Ray said about being thankful, and was inspired to ask God to teach me how to be more thankful toward Him. Not only for the good things in life (food, clothes and shelter), but for the bad ones too, knowing what they were designed to accomplish. Being content with where God has placed us can be so challenging sometimes.
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Luk 22:31  "Simon, Simon, look out! Satan has asked to sift you like wheat.
Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

jingle52

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Re: Things to be thankful for
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2016, 06:18:14 AM »

Yes Jess,
we as individuals all have a lot (for our different situations) to be thankful for. I constantly thank God too for the mercies and blessings He has bestowed upon me and my family (my daughters having jobs in these trying times). I thank him for being able to get up and go to work, I need to walk a lot, so my legs are very important, my eys, hands, my faculties are all important to me as well...
We should meditate on what blessings and how good our Creator is. And yes, it only comes from studying and fellowshipping here, otherwise as you mentioned, we tend to take things for granted most of the time (especially when we are young).
Eccl 12:1 speaks of seeking God while we are still young...
Thanks Stello and Moises...

Jingle
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Doug

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Re: Things to be thankful for
« Reply #5 on: April 05, 2016, 07:58:09 AM »

Hi Jesse,

There was about a 1 1/2 years where I could eat very little. I am 5'10" and at my lowest weight was around 120 pounds. I was hungry 24-7. Since God has been exceeding merciful and can now eat plenty and be full. My weight is now in a normal range.

I do think often on the blessings that God gives both big and small. Trying not to take anything for granted. Even in my worst condition it was not difficult to look around and see others much worse off. Even without being able to eat much there were so many blessing in my life that God so mercifully granted.

The greatest blessing of all is learning here God's truths. All of you here mean more to me than what words can express.

Doug
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Kat

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Re: Things to be thankful for
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2016, 11:59:23 AM »


Good thoughts Jesse. It is good to recognize the things that are easy to overlook, like breathing, a basic requirement for living. We should be very thankful for 'fresh' air to breath. Because there are many cities around the world that still have serious problems with air pollution (smog, a word not heard in American for a long time).

Another thing is 'clean' water to drink, shoot we even have plenty enough to bathe in it daily. And don't forget about the flush toilet... Here is a bit of interesting information.

Many thought bathing was a health hazard. In 1835, the Common Council of Philadelphia almost banned wintertime bathing (the ordinance failed by two votes). Ten years later, Boston forbade bathing except on specific medical advice.

Poor water supply contributed to this attitude. The bathtub had to be filled and emptied with a hand pump and pail. It was too onerous a chore.

But by 1845, the installation of sanitary sewers began to pay off with an outlet for waste water, indoor plumbing and working water closets were getting closer to fruition. Unfortunately, bad plumbing and the stench from open sewer connections made some new homes uninhabitable.
http://theplumber.com/plumbing-in-america/

Food, what a blessing that it is so easily available and lots of it - "Incomes have grown so much faster than food prices that the average American household now spends less than half as much of its income on food as it did in the 1950s." Can you imagine what a person from even 50 years ago would think if they walked into a supermarket of today?

Electric light to see by at night, that's a real blessing - "Two percent of American homes had electricity in 1900. J.P Morgan (the man) was one of the first to install electricity in his home, and it required a private power plant on his property. Even by 1950, close to 30% of American homes didn't have electricity. It wasn't until the 1970s that virtually all homes were powered."

Air conditioning, down here in the deep south it is more than a convenience, I can remember when we didn't have it (yes I'm that old) - "According to the Census Bureau, only one in 10 American homes had air conditioning in 1960. That rose to 49% in 1973, and 89% today -- the 11% that don't are mostly in cold climates. Simple improvements like this have changed our lives in immeasurable ways."

I think one thing I realize as an enormous advancement is technology - "In 1949, Popular Mechanics magazine made the bold prediction that someday a computer could weigh less than 1 ton. Now an iPad weighs 0.73 pounds." I guess many today cannot remember when computers entered the home, I do. I have an E-Sword on my computer in which I can easily search, with many translations, for any particular word or phrase I'm looking for. The degree that helps me in my Bible study is incredibly huge... what might take hours to leaf through and find in the book takes only mins or seconds now. Also there is the goggle search that we can learn information on almost anything. I believe this is the biggest advancement in knowledge ever.

This is the site I got most of the quotes from '50 Reasons We're Living Through the Greatest Period in World History'
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/01/29/50-reasons-were-living-through-the-greatest-period.aspx
« Last Edit: April 05, 2016, 04:06:16 PM by Kat »
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rick

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Re: Things to be thankful for
« Reply #7 on: April 05, 2016, 03:26:28 PM »

Hi Jesse,

Unfortunately most don't know what they got until its gone, then they realize what they won't have again in this life.

Its good to reflect with thankfulness for the things we do have but I can also say I'm thankful for somethings I don't have.

God bless.
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indianabob

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Re: Things to be thankful for
« Reply #8 on: April 06, 2016, 12:38:40 AM »

Great letter Kat,

Only one comment if you please. The big change in shopping came after WW2 when women stayed in the work force and set a better example.
50 years ago I did shop in a super market called A&P, National Tea and a Kroger and they had a great display of fresh fruits and veggies, but they still had the older manual cash registers with check-out clerks that had to be able to count change and often memorize prices from a three page list. The bag boys or girls actually helped me carry my purchases to the car and load them in. Yes, we had autos way back then.
AND everyone was courteous.  :) Folks didn't take their blessings for granted, they were thankful.
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cjwood

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Re: Things to be thankful for
« Reply #9 on: April 17, 2016, 01:32:11 AM »

there are many things i learned from our dear brother john chris about being thankful, while he suffered with the als which ravaged his physical body, but was unable to ravage the Spirit of God within him.  so many things.  the little things we take for granted.  like being able to even type these words. or hold my head, or my own body up.  walking. breathing. sitting. being able to put our arms around someone, or hold their hand. standing. bending. coughing. smiling. being able to take ourselves to the bathroom. eating solid food. so many, many things i learned from our brother.

thanks for the reminder jesse.

claudia
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