There's Gratitude ... and then there's GRATITUDE!

November is my favorite month of the year! The changing of seasons speaks to my soul. I've truly enjoyed all the colors of autumn in our new home. These pictures were taken just a few days apart. Isn't it amazing that we get to enjoy God's handiwork year after year, season after season? He is quite the artist!

Then there is my birthday, celebrated in the middle of the month. I'm old enough now that birthdays aren't that big of a deal. There are only three people on the planet that are required to remember my special day -- hubby and our two boys -- and honestly, they wouldn't be able to forget it if they tried! Ha! 

But each birthday is also a reminder of how blessed I am that God gave me wonderful Christ-loving parents. Our family was far from perfect, as most families are, but the one constant throughout every day of my life was the unconditional love given me by my Mom and Dad. They're both in heaven now enjoying the blessed presence of our Lord and Savior, joining in that "great cloud of witnesses" the author of Hebrews spoke of in Hebrews 12:1.

Mommy and me 54 years ago

When I make my list of blessings this week, my sweet Mommy and Daddy are right there at the top. 

But as we come into Thanksgiving week, I'm pondering what true gratitude looks like. Although you don't typically think of this biblical story at Thanksgiving time, I believe it gives us a true picture of gratitude. 

In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem when he encounters ten men with leprosy. Lepers, as you probably know, were considered unclean and couldn't live among their loved ones and friends. I'm sure theirs was a life of misery, loneliness, and despair. Without modern medicine, skin conditions didn't just clear up on their own, forcing people to live their entire lives as outcasts. 

When the lepers see Jesus, they call to him: "Master, have mercy on us." Have you ever said those words to the Lord? I have, and thankfully, he did, in the same way he did that long ago day on the road.

"Go," Jesus says. "Show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him -- and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him," Rise and go; your faith has made you well." 

I'm sure the other nine men were thrilled they'd been cleansed. Jesus had basically given them their lives back. But were they grateful? Did they praise God, as the Samaritan did by his act of returning to Jesus, falling at his feet, and thanking him? 

It may sound odd, but this Thanksgiving I want to be like a Samaritan leper. I don't want to take all the many, many blessings God has given me for granted. From the smallest to the largest, I want to thank my Lord, my God with a truly grateful heart. From my family heritage, to my sweet husband of thirty-plus years, to my two beautiful sons, to the wonderful new job and home we are thoroughly enjoying, to the many friends and extended family, to the freedoms we enjoy in this country, to the bounty that will be on our table Thursday afternoon ... thank you, Jesus!! Without you and your sacrifice on the cross, I would have nothing. 

HAVE A BLESSED THANKSGIVING!!!

~Michelle

A Thanksgiving List

I can't do life without a list. Grocery. Chores. Reminders. Dates. Travel. If anything is going to get done, it must be on the list! But today I want to share the most important list of all: My List of Blessings. I encourage you to make a list too if you haven't already done so. You never know how truly blessed you are until you see it in black and white.

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for:

• My Savior, Jesus Christ, who gives me everything else on my list.
• My dear parents who loved me unconditionally.
• My Christian heritage, passed down through generations.
• My wonderful, hardworking, funny husband who has put up with me for nearly 26 years! (Longer if you count dating & engagement!)
• My precious sons who make me laugh and taught me more about love than anyone ever could.
• My sister, Kim, and brothers Mark and Gregg, who fill my childhood memories.
• My brother, Steve, and sister-in-law, Chrys, for their selfless sacrifices over the past nine years while taking care of my Dad and Mom.
• My wonderful in-laws. Even a few outlaws.
• My sweet nieces and nephews.
• My friends. You know who you are. 
• My Bible! How I cherish that book!
• My church, our pastor and all who make Celebration Church an amazing place to worship.
• Our home sweet home. (Dorothy was absolutely right.) And for our new temp home while we wait for our caretakers house to be built.
• Air conditioning! Living in Texas one must always give thanks for a/c!
• Our jobs -- previous and especially our NEW job as Estate Caretakers.
• Our vehicles, old and tired but still running. 
• An abundance of food.
• Clean, clear water from every faucet in my house.
• Living in America with all the privileges and blessings that come with it, despite my sincere aggravation with our government officials.
• The Texas hill country. So beautiful!
• Mountains. Snow. Autumn leaves, especially the golden aspens I miss so very much.
• Good books, most especially those written by friends!
• Our sweet 13-year-old Dachshund, Copper. Bad breath and all.
• Lastly, I'm thankful for the life God has given me and the desire to share His amazing love with you!

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This week's Prayer Shout-Out Countries are:
USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, Canada, Poland, Ukraine, China, Norway, Spain