Midweek Question of the Week~March 27~Authentic Lack

The question Jesus asked so long ago is also a question for us…

And a quote from a gratitude post on We Love Gratitude:

We and life are spectacularly complex.  Often we do not get our way, which I hate, hate, hate.  But in my saner moments I remember that if we did, usually we would shortchange ourselves.  Sometimes circumstances conspire to remind us or even let us glimpse how thin the membrane is between here and there, between birth and the grave, between the human and the divine.  In wonder at the occasional direct experience of this, we say, Thank You. ~ Anne Lamont, Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers

Jesus’ question to His apostles follows His prediction that Peter would betray Him. I wonder, are my similar betrayals of Christ born out of a feeling of lack or emptiness? Might I instead (re)turn to thanks and gratitude ?

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Previous questions

Preparing for Blessings

A simple request from Jerilynn came last winter to speak on Blessings. Such an timely topic at Thanksgiving. The simplicity of the one word title extends to the simplicity of the practice.

Blessings.

…to receive, experience, and, especially, to bestow to others.

Bestowing Blessings.

In preparing to speak, I’m preparing my supply list.

What would you include?

~A picture that says so much:

~A link to We Love Gratitude, a web journalling site begun by Crystal Belle

~A free App from Ann Voskamp called One Thousand Gifts at this link or search “One Thousand Gifts” on your iPhone’s Entertainment tab

~A quote to consider: “We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” ~Cynthia Ozick

~An important point for me to remember: Counting Blessings counters our fear manifesting as the “fear of not having enough” and the “fear of not being enough.”

~A verse to read, re-read, and memorize through tears:

What would you include?

This Weekend~Easy Weekend Activity~Thank You instead of Why Me

Say “thank you” instead of “why me”
Borrowed from Crystal Belle’s gratitude list

overflowing with thankfulness…Colossians 2:7

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Previous Weekend Activities

This Weekend~Easy Weekend Activity~Exhale Thanks

That’s when I learned that unexpressed gratitude must be exhaled for us to ever fully take a breath it in again.~Jenn Gibson
from an insight suggested by Garrett

Idea: Might you join a Gratitude Community today? (It is another Easy Weekend Activity!)
:)
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Other Weekend Activities

Day 28~Gratitude~Be Gentle, Be Love

created by Helen

Always let your prayer take the form of thanksgiving, on the assumption that God is giving you great and wonderful things. ~Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

Day 28 Be Gentle, Be Love eCourse, eBook

Visit the wonderful Gratitude Community at We Love Gratitude!

Saturday Digest~July 2

Silent thoughts are the roots: Love this post. (that is why it is so essential to take captive every thought)

Just a really concise and true post on Choosing People Who Are Available to Love. Wish I had read this years ago (of course it was not written years ago, so maybe I read it now at just-the-right-time.)

Some crutches are necessary. Read this gratitude list  from  We Love Gratitude and you’ll see why.

Going away on vacation? How to Be a Faithful Traveler~~~four ways on how to pack my faith for the road, too by Karen Barber

A happy site by a young soul named Jenny: Love the idea contained in her blog title: The Lifeline: We only have one line to live

And this poem by Russian poet Anna Akhmatova; I was stunned by the concept erasing painful memories.

Today I have so much to do
I must kill memory once and for all
I must turn soul to stone
I must learn to live again
Unless … Summer’s ardent rustling
Is like a festival outside my window.
For a long time I’ve foreseen this
Brilliant day, deserted house.

Saturday Digest~May 7, 2011

What if you woke up one morning, and you had nothing? A poignant gratitude list from We Love Gratitude

This great series called “Flowers  on a Saturday”

When everything becomes TOO MUCH   I am nodding my head and feeling relieved all at the same time.

I started reading about Jesus long before I entered into a real relationship with Him. I wanted my heart to understand what my head knew. To read the rest of this thoughtful post, please gently click here

God has many names, each representing a benefit of what God promises to do you in your life. For instance, Jehovah Jireh means “God will provide everything I need.” Jehovah Shalom means “God will be my peace.” And Jehovah Tsidkenumeans “God will be my righteousness.” Over and over in scripture, every name for God represents a basic problem, threat, or emotional illness you have in your life that God can take care of. He is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipotent (all-powerful) and is “worthy to receive all glory and honor”(Revelation 4:11 NIV). To read the rest of this post by Rick Warren gently click here