Thankfulness 3.1

As I have reflected and thought about the upcoming holiday, an elephant sized question crossed my mind: Have I lived up to the challenge I was exposed to a year ago? Here it is.

“Gratitude is to be the natural and daily expression of my life as follower of Christ.”

Have I done it? Have I lived that way this past twelve months? Oh I hope and pray I have. REFLECT with me for a moment or two on the last twelve months…here are some of the happenings in our lives: Good health…A new granddaughter…Godly provision…

Sold our house in a down market…

          Without pride I can honestly say my response to each of these was THANK YOU LORD!!! I did OK, but I wonder…even though I do not know what the next twelve months will hold can I take my gratitude up a notch? Can I be MORE THANKFUL?

In the 1850’s in Germany, a word was coined/created…it is the word “WORLDVIEW.” Jack Martin Leith defines it for us… “A WORLDVIEW is the overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world; a collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by the individual. A WORLDVIEW is like an operating system in a computer, controlling operations BEHIND THE SCENES but mostly OUTSIDE the user’s awareness. When someone UPGRADES their WORLDVIEW certain things that were previously impossible become possible, and some things that were difficult become easy.”

                   WOW! I like that! Consider this…what if we were to UPGRADE our worldview in regards to thankfulness? What might that look like? Before I go there, I think there is at least one assumption that we will have to concede…for the sake of our conversation. We will need to assume that we are living according to a BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW. If we are then that simply means…

                             I acknowledge God as the ONE TRUE GOD above whom there is no other.

                             I accept scripture as God’s word and that it is the RULE OF FAITH AND PRACTICE.

                             I believe that Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY to know God and His sacrifice for mans greatest need (sin) is complete.

                             I value life as God VALUES LIFE as scripture reveals it.

                             I embrace a Biblical ETHIC and MORALITY and live my life accordingly.

                                      While this is an overly simplistic definition…it will suffice for our conversation.

BTW, this idea of UPGRADING should be very familiar to us all by now…

          We no longer have TV’s with tubes…

          Mobile phone the size of our laptops…

          Or Commodore 64 PC’s…

         

Here’s my point…when I speak of UPGRADING, I am encouraging us to look at our BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW and to be sure that THANKFULNESS is an “overall perspective from which we see and interpret the world.” It would be my desire that OVERFLOWING THANKFULNESS would be a driving influence of my BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW!! That I would take what I learned and practiced this year and move it from say…3.0 to 3.1 for the year ahead of me! I believe I can do that.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Always giving thanks to God for everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Ephesians 5:20)

Wouldn’t it be great if this always in everything THANKFULNESS permeated our hearts, minds, spirits, bodies, lives, decisions, beliefs, and our actions! At least three things will need to happen:

          First, we need to recognize the source of THANKFULNESS. It’s God!

          Second, THANKFULNESS needs to become our “instinctive” way we face life.

          Third, we will not allow circumstances to dictate our level of THANKFULNESS!

So, if it is an upgrade I need than I am ready to receive it. What about you?

From me to you and from mine to yours… HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Small or Big

Over the years I have experienced something that is nothing short of amazing...that a very small, cute (by some peoples standards), seemingly harmless mouse can cause such dramatic repsonses! Responses like screaming, jumping, running, broom hitting (at the mouse not the husband/wife who is also terrified), and general hysterics. However, you take that same mouse, or one of its bazillion relatives, and put in a cage in a pet store, and we will oooh and aaah at how cute it is...and even some of us decide to take one home with us...even as twisted as that may seem!

Something as small as a mouse can cause all kinds of responses. As a homeowner we will devote time, money, and energy to eradicating the rodent; we will set traps, call exterminators we will not rest until the mouse is gone! Or we will buy a little cage, decorate it for our pet mouse, buy toys, and feed it...blah blah blah blah blah! And I get it!

However, consider this...I cannot tell you how many times I have had a conversation with someone, or entertained the thoughts myself, that when it comes to SMALL things that cause me concern God isn't concerned...because it is so small. If my experience is like yours, you may respond like I tend to... I minimize the small things; I don't deal with them, and whats more, I convince myself that God isn't concerned so why bother him with my "mouse." In reality, I might be reacting to that small mouse with great anxiety and allowing it to grow in intensity...even to the point it becomes an elephant.

Someone much wiser than I wrote, "that the things that are important to us are important to God." WOW! If I will accept this, my anxiety level notches down immensely! Why? You see, we are usually very willing to take our big things (elephants) to God, but less likely to "bother" God with the little things (mice). If God is concerned with the elephants and the mice of my life, then I should WITHOUT hesitation give to God ALL of the things that cause anxiety. The Bible says, "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Good advice...wouldn't you say?

So the next time that small "mouse" shows up...remember if it is important to you it is important to God.

Hello Blogosphere!

In a little over a week I will celebrate/mourn my 55th birthday. I have been told that 50 is the new 30 and with that in mind LET'S BLOG!

If anyone is reading this, you may be curious what "Elephants, Chihuahua's, and Mice" is all about...and even if you aren't curious you at least deserve a brief explanation. Most of us have heard an expression like "the elephant in the room" or something akin to it. Life thrusts upon us large and complex issues that we all must address ie. the Elephants. There are also issues that may more than likely resemble Chihuahua's and Mice...the smaller less intense but not unimportant, and I think for the most of us, that's where we live.

Being a person of faith I filter my Elephants, Chihuahua's and Mice through that filter and while I make no claim of infallibility, perfection (just ask my wife), or ANY corner on the wisdom market there are some things that I trust will be helpful to whomever my readers/contributors will be.

Elephant's can become Chihuahua's!

A couple of years ago my family and I went through a very difficult season of time. It was traumatic, hurtful, and turned our world upside down. Everything I thought would comprise our future was changed in a couple of months time. We were devastated! But even in the middle if our hurt, a simple promise from Solomon's wisdom shouted loudly through the noise of my pain and hurt: "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9

This verse rocked my world. I knew it to be true, but at the moment of stress and challenge, I wasn't encouraged. The elephant was overwhelming! However...two years later...it's a chihuahua. God's purposes are much more clear...the experience still hurts, however its intensity is SO much less. I fully expect it to become a mouse in the not to distant future.

Is there an elephant in your room? Be encouraged...it can become a chihuahua. I know God has the very best in mind for me...and for you.

We'll talk more later...

Blessings