Wellness Wednesday - Be Thankful! It's good for you!

Honestly today's Wellness Wednesday suggestion is the easiest healthy habit yet!  Studies have proven that grateful people are happier, healthier people. REALLY!  Our local Christian radio station was talking about a study done with teenagers struggling with depression. They asked these teenagers to journal daily what they were thankful for.  Those that did it resumed a healthy emotional state sooner than those who did not. (My words and interpretation of the study)  I also noted that Jason Kent, son of Carol Kent, the author of "When I Lay My Isaac Down" states that one of the ways he copes with life in prison is to journal or to pray out loud all of the things he is grateful for.  If being thankful can help a young adult man who is in prison for life with no chance of parole keep his emotions healthy I would say that is pretty good proof of it's validity.

So I would say this Thanksgiving Day week is the perfect antidote to what ails you!  Enjoy it and it can be a balm so soothe your soul. Spend some quiet time with the Lord thanking Him for all he has given you whether it is a lot or a little makes no difference.  Spend some time with the people in your life letting them know that you are thankful for them, glad that they are a part of your life. Laugh a little. Watch an old movie (or a new one). Make something whether it be food, a card, a decoration, whatever! Working with your hands and engaging your imagination is a great refresher for all of us!

"I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart..."

We're Not Everything, but We're Something!

I just read a little story that caught my attention.  The author states that some good friends of theirs had a 4 year old son.  That 4 year old saw the author carrying a load of "rather large boxes."  The boy looked up at him and said, "Gary, are you the strongest or is God the strongest?" Of course everyone  knows just how ridiculous that question is, not just because it was "Gary" but because we know how incredibly strong and fantastic our God is. Then the author asked, so if that comparison is so absurd why do we expect our relationship with another person to "fulfill" us?  I"m thinking marriage but if you are not married it could be another relative or friend or even employer.  There is just no way our spouse (or friend) can be everything to/for us. HOWEVER, they are very special people that the Lord put in our life and this is a great time of year to remember to be thankful for who they are to us.  So today I would like you to forget about your "expectations" of your spouse/friend for a bit. Instead think of 3 things that you are thankful for in regard to your spouse. I challenge you to tell them and someone else.  As a whole we need to do better talking about what we like in people versus what we don't like. Maybe this little exercise will help us remember.

1. I like that my husband is very creative.
2. I like that he likes music and can sing.
3. I like that he will try new things with me - food, games etc.

Now it's your turn!

Sometimes I'm Fickle

It's sad how fickle we can be, well I can be anyway.  The day before Thanksgiving started with such a grateful, peaceful attitude.  Somewhere in the middle it got detoured momentarily.  Some unexpected interruptions and late starts played with my attitude but thankfully I got back on course pretty quickly.  By Friday I was tired and ready for some relaxed time, regrouping, putting up the outdoor decorations and then off to see our daughter for the weekend.  Well, I didn't realize my husband had work to do before any of that could take place. And by the end of his work it was later then either of us wanted and he was aching all over due to some old injuries and the cold weather. RATS! Not the way I had envisioned the day. I was ready to just go back to bed and skip this day. BUT GOD is faithful.  Through some quiet steady lets just keep moving forward time. God reminded me again (and again) that my life is totally in His control. He is not surprised by any of it and He can handle all of it.  Thanks God.  I guess our II Corinthians chapter 4 theme for Treasure Chest Ministries is really a life theme.  We will not lose heart.

Thankful for a first!

So my friend J is thankful for a new experience in her life, a short term mission trip to Mexico. See what she has to say.

I went on a mission trip to Tijuana, Mexico in October , 2010 with a group from church. I had no idea what to expect . . . but was looking forward to what God was going to do there with us!!! We took children from a very small orphanage to a local zoo. The language barrier made things interesting as I know very little Spanish!! But love knows no  language barriers . .  we got to love on them, buy them treats and watch their faces light up!! They REALLY touched my heart!!! They just soaked up the hugs you gave them!!! I saw where they lived with so little . . .  yet they were so happy!!!  I realized how materialistic we are!! Their meals were NOTHING like the meals I served  the children in my daycare!!! The one day we were there, it was 10:30 and they hadn't had breakfast yet!! But every little face greeted us with a smile!!

    On a very rainy day, we went to visit and share at a tiny church. The path (not road or street!!) to the church was very muddy and rough. The church was no bigger than maybe 15 ft wide by 23 ft long, seating was old movie theatre seats bolted down, no doors on doorways, "window" boarded over and lighting consisted of 4 hanging light bulbs!!!!

The pastor was embarrassed at the small crowd ( 7 people other than our group of 11!) due to heavy rains that day . ..  most of his parishoners walked .  . they had no vehicles!! Our pastor preached that night - most of them came  forward for prayer. One gentlemen there, who spoke good English, told us he slept in the front of the church at night - his bed, a mattress behind the chairs!! He was so  happy to know that Christ was his savior!!! The praise band - a gentlemen playing an old, cracked guitar that was out of tune and missing strings!! He played that guitar like it was a fine instrument - especially when Pastor was praying over him . . . he all of a sudden started to play his guitar with an unequalled passion for God!!! The Holy Spirit was definitely in that building . .despite the fact that  it didn't look even remotely like a church from the outside!!!  I had the opportunity to pray with parishioners there  that night. God got me outside of my comfort zone!!! We didn't understand each other at all  .  . . . but one couldn't help but feel the zeal each one had for worshipping God!!!

     I came to truly love the Mexican people!!! You saw where they lived, how little they had and yet they welcomed  us Americans with open arms and wanted us to pray for them. It was good to be immersed in their culture .. to see who the Mexican people truly are .. . especially when you usually hear only negative stereotypical labels for them in America! We had a common bond - we had the same God!! We had the same desire to worship God and to know God better. This was just the first few days of an awesome, eye opening and life changing visit with the people of Tijuana.

Giving Thanks for Teachers

An old High School friend, Craig, sent the following story of an event in his life that he realizes now was truly a "changing moment".  Thank you Craig for sharing.

Following my freshman year in High School, my parents moved to Cumberland, IA which meant I'd have to change schools.  During the first few weeks of classes at C&M High School, one of the teachers asked me to come to her room during one of my study halls.  As it turns out she was the Contest Speech Coach and she wanted to talk with me about joining the team (apparently my gift of gab was quite evident :-)).  We talked for 15 minutes or so about Contest Speech and then she directed the conversation to my transition into this new school.  She was extraordinarily well connected and I'm pretty sure she had learned of my prior reputation for all manner of disrespectful and illegal behavior at my prior schools.  She proceeded to tell me exactly what I would need to do in order to be successful at this new school and even listed several kids by name whom I should avoid getting involved with.

Never before had an adult taken such personal interest in my well-being.  This act of personal care literally changed my life.  I joined the speech team, made new friends, had some success and raised my grades considerably.  And I even managed to stay out of trouble -- mostly :-).  Looking back at the course of life chosen by my prior friends and the path taken by the kids this teacher named -- I am extraordinarily grateful for her boldness to set my feet on an entirely different and better road!  In my senior English class, which this same teacher taught, we read Robert Frost's, "The Road Not Taken."  To this day I cannot read that poem without overwhelming gratitude for her willingness to choose a road less traveled that resulted in me choosing one too.

Sharing the Moments

As you have already noticed I've missed a few days again. It wasn't intentional this time. I've started a 1/2 time job to help us continue in ministry and we're still working the "kinks" out of the schedule.  I just want to say that my current "moment" of recognizing God is how peace-filled I am in amongst the change. It is a great encouragement to me to think I've learned a little something in my lifetime and that I know God is with me.

Anyway, I'd like to start sharing the great thoughts of my friends. We are attempting to give God glory by thanking Him for the "moments" in our lives. Also, we are trying to challenge you to recognize the moments realizing God is with us in every one of them.  Like this one:

"For me it was the many times that I listened to my dad share the Lord Jesus with people, as a small child I was on his lap as he was giving the gospel to someone. As a teen I would be like "Oh dad come on lets go, it is time to leave!" LOL ...:) But when I became an adult I realized that I was learning from him all this time how to share with people the saving knowledge of Jesus!! Those lessons were priceless, but at the time I didn't even realize it!! God is good, He always supplies for us in life what we need, even when we are not aware of it!!"

 

I grew up with this gal and witnessed these conversations. God uses all those around us to teach us, whether we realize it or not. Let's realize it! Thank you God!