I am thankful for...
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Right now, you are probably saying, "this is a pandemic what is there to be thankful for?" or "I have lost loved ones during this Pandemic, I am not thankful for the loss!" However, if you are able to speak and think those thoughts, you should be thankful because it could be worst. Many of us are disturbed by this Election 2020 ordeal and how crazy some of the political characters are behaving, leaving us to feel like we, the common folk, don't really matter; especially folks of color; and I remind you that we are in a pandemic that is getting worst. My faith keeps me grounded in knowing that God is in control, not the political characters seen on television - God is in control of the World. When I view the world from the perspective that God is in control, I realize that the world no longer looks like a scary place. In fact, I am encouraged by God's Word (in the Bible) and begin to recognize many things I am thankful for during this pandemic. I am absolutely thankful for family, friendships, and faculties; these three things have allowed me to make it through these eight months.
Thankful for Family...
I love my family! We are a family of love and support. I have been blessed to still have my parents around and living under the same roof as my husband and me; I can see my parents every day, which is a true blessing in itself. However, this pandemic has made getting together with other family members, in person, impossible, but technology has opened up a new way families can get together. Platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meets, or Face Time through Apple, allow families an opportunity to get together to see each other's faces and remain safe.
In March of this year, my cousins and I, along with my husband, decided that we would meet every Friday for a happy hour to check in on each other and make sure everyone was okay; we did so for about three months, consistently. Now, we meet once a month, but have included the older cousins (my parents' age group), and we have had so much fun with games and fellowship with one another. Many of my older cousins are not very savvy with technology; however, they manage to click on the link and join in on the fun. I began our first "whole-family" happy hour with a picture slide show of past family reunions, which had us all in tears; happy tears, remembering the fun we had at those gatherings. Our next few sessions, we played games, such as "Name that TV show or Movie" or "Boggle" (create words from a group of letters). We all look forward to the second Friday of the Month now. We decided that we would get together, virtually, on Thanksgiving to "Give Thanks for our Blessings" with each other, since we cannot be with each other. So, I encourage everyone make time for your family set up Happy Hours once a month or once a week, but put aside time for family to maintain the connections and take your mind off of this pandemic. Give Thanks for Family!
Thankful for Friendships...
True friendships take time to develop, but when they are created you better recognize them and cherish them. I am truly thankful for the true friendships I have developed over the years. As I look over the last five decades of my life, I have had many friends that were a part of my life for a reason, a season, or a life time. I am thankful for each because I gained new experiences through each type of friend; however, the friendships that have remained steady over the decades of my life are the ones I cherish in my heart.
During this pandemic, I became a little anxious and knew I needed to remain in contact with my inner circle of friends, friends who shared in my faith in God. So I reconnected with my small group from my church; we had not met in a while, so I reached out to them and we began meeting weekly. Our sessions are filled with hope and faith in our God, we first pray, and then catch up with each other's week. We then study a plan from Bible.com; right now we are reading from the Book of James with Francis Chan. We love, love, love this Bible plan because the message from the Book of James speaks directly to each of us, individually and to the situations we are each experiencing. Sharing this time with my "Sisters in Faith" has absolutely helped me through this pandemic. I encourage you, to find friends of faith (Bible-believing, if possible), or just your inner circle of positive friends and share in a positive way, ideas, thoughts, or weekly occurrences. Give Thanks for Your Friendships!
Thankful for Faculties...
Every day I wake up, with breath in my body, activities of my limbs, and a sane mind, is a blessing, and I am thankful for these blessings. Life is a gift from God, and every day I wake up, I celebrate life and the fact that I have my faculties. Webster dictionary defines "faculty" as ability, power, such as innate or acquired ability to act or do. So many people in the world do not possess their faculties or have limited faculties due to this pandemic or other health issues. Each day is a new day and I strive to live each day as if it were my last. I strive to "be positive on purpose" and spread a little joy on my daily journeys, whether remotely in my virtual classroom or in the grocery store or at a gas station; my goal is to spread a little sunshine. With the mask mandates in place (for good reason), it is difficult for people to see each others' smiles to feel the warmth and joy of each other, but a pleasant "hello" or "thank you" does a good job of spreading joy and kindness. My daily prayer is that God uses me in a way He needs to use me for that day. Maybe that means me holding the door for someone, or saying hello or wave to people as I walk or drive by them. Maybe, I can help someone, who does not have their faculties, with a chore or make a grocery run for them. Having my faculties is God's gift to me, so I want to use that gift to help someone else. It is not too late to begin developing your relationship with God and thank Him for your faculties and ask Him to guide you.
In addition, my faculties have helped me to begin a habit of writing (this is my passion, to some day publish my first book). I asked myself, "how can I get my message out to the world?" The answer, "just write!" I have begun keeping a daily journal, again; I had stopped for a while, but now I feel that it is a definite requirement. Developing this habit of writing will, hopefully, help me spread God's Word to the world, as well as positive, inspirational messages to encourage those who may feel hopeless. Having my faculties has given me a habit to write, what is your positive habit you will develop as a result of having your faculties? Give Thanks for Your Faculties!
Do you know God? “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:14
https://odbm.org/devotionals/devotional-category/the-hand-of-god2
