An Attitude of Gratitude

Hello Blogland! Well, I originally wrote this post for Thanksgiving week, but it still holds true now, possibly even more in this worldly season of excess (otherwise known as the "holidays").  I spent the Saturday before Thanksgiving working with my church's outreach ministry to pack and distribute Thanksgiving food baskets and winter items in our community.  God allowed me to be a personal blessing to someone during that outreach, and I am ever amazed at how he goes before you and makes provision, sometimes for others through you.  Even with all the crazy in my own world, it always feels good to be a blessing to others.

Which leads me right to the subject of this post- gratitude. This is the time of year where most people shift their thinking towards helping others, which goes right along with being grateful for what you've got.  

It is something that I've tried to instill in my children since they were small - to always be appreciative of what you have because there is someone who wishes they had what you have.  Even when we don't have everything we want or even everything we're used to having - always be grateful.

So that said, here's my gratitude list at the moment:

1. A roof over our heads
2. Plenty of clothes to wear
3. Food to eat
4. A few really, really good friends
5. That my parents are still living
6. My son's early admission and scholarship for college
7. My daughter's good grades
8. That my kids are not problem children
9. A wonderful, teaching ministry at my church and wonderful church family
10. That I am healthy!

Now does making this list cancel everything that is not picture perfect in my life? Of course not! But, it does keep me from focusing only on what's not right and allows me to focus on what is right.  And that's good enough for me.

While we are talking about gratitude, this is a good time to talk about a December challenge I saw on Pinterest:  The 31 Day December Joy Challenge.  You can read about it at http://spirituallyhungry.com/joy-challenge-december/.  I will be incorporating this into my December Daily this year.  If you don't know what December Daily is, you can read my post about it last year at http://www.hollaatdarvi.com/2015/12/it-shall-be-well.html. 

So stay grateful and joyful during this Holiday Season and remember that Jesus is the Reason for the Season!  I can't leave you without a song, so here's an oldie but goodie, "Be Grateful" by Walter Hawkins. 

What are you grateful for? Holla @ Darvi and share!  And, as always, be blessed! xoxoxo

Don't Quit...

Hello December!  For once it is not snowing in Chicago!!! We have been having relatively mild weather, although the temperature has dropped a bit... 

This will be a short and sweet post.  Hopefully it will contain something that will be a blessing to someone else.  

Today's message is to encourage those who feel like things never work out for them or that they are always in "wait mode."  Well, maybe it's just to encourage me...

We'll start with some scriptural encouragement (these can go in your War Chest for your War Room, whether room, journal, board, etc.):

Isaiah 40:31 KJV:  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 66:9 NASV:  Shall I bring to the point of birth and not give delivery?  says the LORD. Or shall I who gives delivery shut up the womb? says your God.

Joel 2:25 NASV:  Then I will make up to you for the years That the swarming locust has eaten The creeping locust, the stripping locust and the gnawing locust, my great army which I sent among you.

Psalm 62:5-6 KJV:  My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectations from him.  He only is my rock and my salvation:  he is my defence, I shall not be moved. 

Next, here's some music to encourage you:

He has his hands on you - Marvin Sapp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1WQLipTwRQ
God provides - Tamela Mann: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32jDHrDEVPM
God is in Control - James Hall & Worship in Praise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7xXjdksufo
I am God - Donald Lawrence & the TriCity Singers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w-_Mf0Yw1A
Can't Give Up Now - Mary Mar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37PCbh9KppA

A prayer to go in your War Chest:

Dear God,

I pray that my circumstances change.  Nothing remains the same for very long.  In the meantime, give me the resolve to wait it out cheerfully.  To stop feeling its pain. To instead be flexible, open, and in celebration with you.  For you, dear God are mightier than circumstance beyond my control.  You are surely by my side and filling me with patience, and peace of mind.  Amen.  
(The prayer came from here: you can go check it out and others like it).

And last, but not least, a poem that I learned many years ago when I was pledging my sorority back in college:

Don't Quit

When things go wrong as they sometimes will
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill
When funds are low and debts are high
When you want to smile, but you have to sigh
When care is pressing you down a bit, rest if you must but just don't quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns 
As every one of us sometimes learns
And many a failure turns about 
When he might have won had he stuck it out,
Don't give up though the pace seems slow
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late, when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out- 
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you can never tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit- 
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.  
-Author Unknown

Listen, obstacles will come, sometimes, as I have experienced, multiple obstacles all at the same time.  People say that no goal or dream is obtained without a struggle.  And I won't lie, there are plenty of times when you are facing what amounts to insurmountable odds, your back is against the wall and you just want some relief.  The words of an Old James Cleveland song (remade by Mary Mary as linked above) have comforted me many times when I've faced obstacles:  "I just can't give up now, I've come too far from where I started from.  Nobody told me that the road would be easy and I don't believe he brought me this far to leave me."

Whatever the situation, whatever the problem, you must believe that God's got it.  He didn't bring you (or me) this far to leave you... Stay encouraged and prayerful as we enter this holiday season that takes a toll on a lot of folks - emotionally and financially.  I hope this has been encouraging for you - I try to be encouraging even in the midst of my own struggles! 

Wanna post some encouragement for anyone struggling right now?  You can do so, just Holla @ Darvi and leave it in the comments.  Enjoy your weekend and be blessed! xoxoxo