With these Words...

PRAISE THE LORD!!!

PRAISE JESUS!

THANK YOU GOD!!


All things I have been learning to say.  To give thanks, even when I don't feel like it.  It says 'give thanks' 33 times in the Bible and 'thankful' 7 times.

Now I just want to stop here for a bit and say, I grew up in the church.  I have heard sermons, read writings and listened to others talk about being grateful and thankful over and over again.  This is just one of many some of you may have read.  But this is my journey and I am sticking to writing about it, no matter how many times you have heard the phrase "be grateful/thankful/give thanks."

A couple of weeks ago I embarked on a journey up to Northland, New Zealand (several hours north of where I live).  This was such a joyous journey for me.  Not hard to give thanks in those circumstances you may think.  Nevertheless I did find myself complaining, moaning and grizzling about one thing or another.  If you have been following my blogs since I first started writing them, you will know that I have a brain disorder that causes me quite a bit of grief.  This is important to add, as this is the main reason why I was complaining.  Some would find it acceptable, understandable and would not chastise me for grumbling from time to time.

This is who I started to feel like.

There were many curve balls that were thrown at me before even the trip had started, I couldn't sleep well for about 3 weeks leading up to it, then accommodation situations fell through, and there were so many things that were not clear to me.  Grumble, grumble, grumble!  

The way the trip was planned, was so that it could be super flexible, meaning we had to be flexible.  This can be tough for someone that has had to plan her days because of illness.  Grumble, grumble, grumble....

When people started reacting and responding to my comments, even when I wasn't meaning it in a grumbling way, I started looking at myself.  What could I do to change how people are perceiving me, what can I do the start feeling happier, what can I do to encourage others to do the same?  Opportunity came my way.  When having a meeting we were asked who needed prayer.  I got some.  I walked away, not feeling any different until I came back outside, after an inkling I needed to.  I am glad I did.  Three people were on the ground of the parking lot, laughing their heads off.

I came over, told one of the people around them that I wasn't feeling God that much, but that He was doing something deeper in me.  I don't really remember what happened next, except I was on the ground laughing with those people!  It was over...I didn't want to look at what I didn't have anymore.  I decided to look at what I did have and when I couldn't think of anything just praise God anyway.  Every time something annoyed me, I reacted by saying "Praise the Lord."  or "Thank you Jesus!"  Even when I was really, really pissed off at the circumstances and was saying it sarcastically, it helped.  I would find myself laughing at my sarcasm.  From that point on, the trip was a much happier time for me!

God didn't put "give thanks" in the Bible 33 times as a command because He is lonely and needy, wanting us the fulfill His need to feel powerful.  He isn't an angry God that wants us to repent over and over by giving Him thanks.  No.  He is waiting for us to get it.  That when we give thanks to Him, we start seeing the Truth. It's the Truth that sets you free!  PRAISE GOD!