Gratitude Archive

I talk, preach and practice gratitude every day of my life. I will say some days I have to really rev myself up to be grateful if I fall prey to the media and it’s negativity but overall YES I can be grateful in every situation. Grateful for something even if it’s tiny!

This has been a very challenging year for all of us and I hope that 2021 it the exact opposite of 2020. Peace, good health, financial stability, more people praying and overall more kindness and acceptance of others.

The pandemic has devastated us in so many ways. I am going to talk about the things I found to be grateful for BUT with that being said I don’t want you to think I am making light of any of these topics or don’t understand the severity of each of them.

The pandemic has moved us apart from each other due to the spread of COVID-19 and the need for social distancing, I greatly miss my friends but I have noticed that God has removed a few people from my life that were dragging me down. I love these people but where they were headed in their life and choices was so off track from where I was walking. Trying to love and understand others made it difficult for me to not see their negative involvement in my life at times. I would see these folks at weekly events and sometimes multiple times in a week. The pandemic hit and social events were stopped. The few people God knew were not growing me positively He removed.

2 Timothy 3:1-6  But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.   For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,   heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,   treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,   having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 

Now God probably would have removed these people in normal times but this was a good time for it to happen. Social distancing as tough as it is does benefit people in other ways besides preventing the spread of disease. God knows this.

I have said before that my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year. A very aggressive and frightening cancer. The first thing you feel is fear of losing your dad but then I opened my eyes in gratitude. Yes, my dad was sick but my Heavenly Father was caring for him. He provided my dad with outstanding doctors in a close facility and an opportunity to talk to my dad about his faith which we have never talked about before. God also showed me how to appreciate the blessing of still having my parents alive when many of my friends didn’t. I live close so I can help care for my dad as he goes through chemotherapy and surgery. My love and faith in God allows me to see the good in cancer as odd as that sounds.

Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

You probably say that you can’t find gratitude in riots and protests but I disagree. As horrible and frustrating as riots can be, it showed me that I needed to understand the journeys other people have come on to feel this pain and angst. I had my head buried in the sand and absorbed in my own life while people were hurting around me. The riots opened up conversations with friends of different races and ethnic backgrounds for me to hear their stories. I would have never asked in casual conversation about their struggles. Our friendships would have remained superficial. I listened without speaking which was difficult for me but I actually heard words I had never heard before. I took this opportunity to teach a class on hearing others with a clear mind and not prejudging. I am grateful for these talks even through it came with unrest, death and division because it is opening the eyes of many to hearing others.

Proverbs 31:9 “Speak up for the people who have no voice,  for the rights of all the down-and-outers. Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute!”

Also during the pandemic a close friend and my podcast producer fell ill and was immediately put on life support for 31 days. He did not have COVID (he was tested 12 times….) but his situation was dire and his Living Will had been activated. Oh my gosh, how was I going to find gratitude in this situation? It seemed I was going to lose my friend which was weird because we had just recorded podcasts a few days earlier. This clip is of my friend Mark who still remains in the hospital on Day 49. This video about defying the odds is so appropriate for Mark right now as he battles to regain his health.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvqF1UDMb28

Now as I said, Mark is still in the hospital doing all types of therapy to regain strength and speak again because of being on a ventilator for 31 days. But you know what? I know the power of prayer and God brought a group of us together to stand and pray at 6pm every night that Mark was on the ventilator asking God to heal him. I would have never stood one day to pray with this group of people is God hadn’t given us a reason to pray together in community. I’m am definitely not grateful for Mark’s illness and his ongoing struggles but I am grateful to know how many people are willing to interrupt their day to pray for someone else. Hundreds if not thousands were praying for Mark as we saw the post on social media of friends, family and acquaintances posting daily about their prayers.

I know and am confident that God is in control of every situation and because of that I can find something to be grateful for in every circumstance. If you are struggling I ask you to find one thing to be grateful for no matter how small. Gratitude changes your heart and makes Our Father smile. My love and gratitude-LoLo

Isaiah 40:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

As I slept last night I was suddenly awoken by the sound of strong surging winds outside my window. It was thunderous and I immediately sat up in bed and looked at my clock. I don’t know why I always look at the clock, probably because I took the Citizen’s Police Academy a few years back and they told us it was always important to notice what time something happens. It was 1:11 am. Now hopefully you know from my other blogs that when I see 11, 111 or 1111 I feel God’s presence. Then it dawned on me. The strong wind and 1:11 quickly reminded me of the time Jesus spoke to Nicodemus in the Bible. It is one of my favorite passages. A passage I can so relate to! The wind is the Holy Spirit.

John 3:5-8   Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.  You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You  must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

This resonates with me because there are so many times I feel the wind of the Holy Spirit blow through me. Times of fear when I need comforted, times of joy sending me contentment, times of illness blowing in healing. I feel the wind swirling within me. That wind Jesus says is the Holy Spirit.

Last night was profound for me. The wind and the time signaled to me that God was hearing my prayers and responding strongly to let me know He is ever present in my ministry. The wind alone or the time alone would not have had this meaning for me. That is why God gave me both at the exact same time.

What about the time? 111 does that correlate to the Bible and my ministry? I have been praying constantly lately about my ministry and where God has been leading me. I pray to have the knowledge of how to grow my ministry to reach more people and share more gratitude hearts. Let’s see.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

God is reminding me to keep my faith that He will guide me and show His plan when it is time. I have learned the art of patience over the last few year knowing God was in control. I breathe and stand in faith and He is always good! Faith always makes life better. Knowing we have a protector that will never turn His back on us or ignore us.

Matthew 11:1 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.

This verse really interests me. Is my Father teaching me and instructing me on my ministry as I am His disciple? I spend many hours in study every week on learning and understanding the Bible more fully. Is God saying He seeing my studies and I am heading in the right direction? Is He saying He trusts me to know and share His word properly? Am I His good disciple?

This next verse is the most powerful one for me.

1 Corinthians 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

As I read this verse my heart jumps. I am following the example of Christ in my life the best I can at this point. I pray God is telling me that He sees that. Paul suffered and never lost faith no matter what! This year with COVID, riots, a parent with aggressive cancer, a friend on life support for 31 days and the world in turmoil I am working to stay kind, in faith and speaking the Truth as an example of Christ. I want to be that example. I want people to say, about me “I see God and His word through her!”

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

John 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Luke 12:12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.

I pray you are feeling God’s presence in your life and when you sleep. Look for His guidance in your life. It takes time and study but He speaks to you too. My love and gratitude-LoLo

A friend approached me recently after my last monthly inspiration meeting. She held out her hand and showed me the things she carries in her pocket every day. You too can see those items above in the title picture. The items she carries have significant meanings and importance to her. I began to think about this. What do I carry in my pocket every day? Also, what does a pocket represent to me?

I don’t carry anything in my pockets primarily because I don’t have pockets. As I think about this, I realize pockets could be my heart, my mind or something totally different. Let’s start with my pocket being my heart.

There are so many things I hold in my heart. Thankfully God has shown me how to remove hate from my heart. I carried that for many, many years but no more. My heart is the main pocket for the Holy Spirit to reside. This pocket holds the most precious thing I have. The gift that God has given me when I accepted Christ as my savior. Yes, my heart holds other things too like the love for my family, the kindness that our Father requires us to share and HOPE for those I am yet to meet.

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

I realized this pocket truly hold the key to a better life. A life filled with joy when practicing gratitude and love. When God put in me a clean heart (or clean pocket to carry Him in) my life became more peaceful and serene. The drama diminished. The hatred ceased. I saw people with different eyes. Eyes that saw God’s children instead of people of the world and all their flaws.

Luke 8:15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Another pocket I carry things in is my mind. This pocket holds earthly thoughts that bring joy to my heart pocket. These joys are my memories. I to this day can hear my grandmother’s voice when she would call me almost every night at 5pm. I have to chuckle because when I would answer the phone she would always say, “Oh you’re home. I didn’t think you would be.”. This always cracked me up because this was long before cell phones and I would always think, “Why are you calling if you didn’t think I would be home?”. I think she just wanted to hear her granddaughter’s voice. I miss those calls but I am grateful God allows that memory to linger in my mind.

I also have a memory of my great grandmother’s smile when I would visit her in the nursing home. She has a pocket watch necklace she wore that I loved. She always had it on and I can’t remember a time she didn’t wear it. I loved the way she would look at the time on it. She lived to be 98 years old which I am sure will be more time than I will see. The mind is a great pocket to carry things called memories in.

Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

If your pockets are filled with lint and dirt or tattered with holes you must clean them out and repair them. If your memories are of hurt and trauma you must turn that pocket inside out to clean it. Hurt and trauma need forgiveness to clean the pockets of your life. You need to heal and recognize that these negative things are not your fault. Forgive yourself and the offender to start brightening your pockets. This can be a long process but ask God to help you wash your pockets and make them white again. Pray this one scripture below, our Heavenly Father will hear. He knows everything about you and he wants you to ask for a pocket cleaning.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your savior then ask Him to come into your life so you can clean your heart pocket. He will gift you with the Holy Spirit graciously blossoming peace in your heart.  Only the Holy Spirit has the power to make the changes God wants to make in our lives.

Ephesians 1:17-19 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.   I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,  and his incomparably great power for us who believe. ….

God wants the best life for you. He smiles on us when we are anointed with the Holy Spirit because He is with us and in us. In our pocket (our heart) to carry around daily. Please pick something special to you that is a peaceful memory ( a small cross, a special coin or maybe your child’s hospital bracelet) and carry it in your pocket. This can be your reminder that God is always with you. My love and gratitude-LoLo

We are living in a really odd time right now. People are isolated physically, emotionally and spiritually. Opinions are strong and emotions are running wild but that’s okay. We need this period of growth for our minds and for our hearts.

“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” 1 Corinthians 14:33

Last February my pastor mentioned at church that this year we were going to reintroduce Christianity to our community. He said that some of society had created their own interpretation of the Bible and are teaching off script. I remember thinking to myself, “That is absolutely correct. I am going to study more and really watch my words. I am also going to listen for opportunities to teach GOD’S word accurately!” And then the pandemic hit almost like Satan tried to derail me and others set on this course of correction.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

I have found during the last five months that I see people drifting away from attending church. This may be because so many churches have been closed do to the pandemic. I won’t talk politics but churches, hospitals, homeless shelters, etc. should never have their doors closed or keep people from coming in. These are places that protect, heal and do good. Okay enough of that, off my soapbox. I have asked several people how they have continued to worship during the pandemic and I was surprised at the number of people that say they haven’t joined in online or only stream their church on YouTube when it is convenient for them to watch.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

You may say I am crazy and that’s okay too but to me the answer is simple. Go to the Bible. The Bible can be read online, in a book, on Kindle, watched on a video, shared by word of mouth and so on. It’s everywhere and it tells us everything. The first step to reintroducing Christianity is to read our Bibles. The Bible is the owner’s manual or instruction manual to life. It has every answer to every problem. I know people say to me that my approach is too simple and that life is more complicated than I make it. I say I respect their opinion but proceed to explain why I feel differently.

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Hebrews 4:4

To me the Bible teaches the unconditional love that God offers us and the example he sets every time He offers grace and mercy to us. It shows how much He loved us to send Jesus to earth to reconcile us with Him and to forgive our sins. Do any of us show unconditional love to anyone? Love that has no conditions, just acceptance? Where would society be if we extended unconditional love? Accepting others as God’s children and here for reasons only known to God. I would have to say a whole lot better off than we are now. The sooner we accept that God chose everyone for His purpose maybe we can be more accepting.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. Ephesians 1:7

I know we currently see many people constantly concerned about how everything affects them. They are more worried about how they will benefit rather than what is right. Is this a test from God to see if we will continue to follow His word instead our own free will? I’m not sure but I do know that in Galatians 6:9-10 it says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” God is telling us to always do good to have a better life. It doesn’t say to think of ourselves and what we want.

The Bible tells us how to love God first and then our brothers and sisters. Love not hate, love not condemn, love not judge, love as God commands. If more people practiced this simple way of life we would all feel more peace. If we loved more without judgement we would see the beauty in others that God produced. There are many that don’t know our Heavenly Father and we are here to share His word to them to have a better life. Be patient if they don’t know Jesus and help them learn and understand. Plant the seed even if it takes years to grow and bloom.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1

I would ask you to get into God’s Word daily. We can only practice kindness when we know our blessings that come with His promises written in the Bible. Understanding the simple teachings in the Bible draws us closer to His Holy Spirit living within us and the more in tune to Him, the more peace in our heart and the more love and gratitude we can express to God and others. Practice and teach basic Christianity to society because as Christians we are called to do this.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16

My love and gratitude-LoLo

It’s my birthday!  I am 56 years old today and I’m grateful.  For those who know me well will understand the title of this blog.  For those who don’t, I will explain it later in this blog.

On January 1, 2020, I wrote a blog titled “Will You Be Remarkable in 2020?”.

Will You be Remarkable in 2020?

In this blog, I wrote about how the word remarkable was going to be my word of the year.  I would respond to every question with the response, “Remarkable!”  No matter if the person was asking about my work, my family, my faith, or anything else, the response would be the same.  Remarkable!  Well looking back, the year has been remarkable which means to draw attention to or noteworthy.  A dead-on definition of this year so far.  Unfortunately, I was thinking remarkable was going to be a positive word to use but then realize now that was my one-sided interpretation.

I have decided that since today is my birthday I will begin a new year today.  I am not living out the rest of 2020 in negativity and despair but starting fresh today!  Will you join me?

So let me go back a bit and explain the title of this blog 5+6=11.  People who know me well know that whenever I see the number 11 it is a connection for me to God.  It reminds me He is always near and when I see the number 11 many times it’s immediately after praying and brings comfort.  When my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer several weeks back I let anxiety get the best of me one day.  I let Satan get in my head and draw me away for God’s goodness and healing powers that I know God offers.  As I worked at my desk that morning worried and broken in anxiety it seemed like I was inundated with sightings of the number 11.  I had 11 new emails, 11 Facebook notifications, it was 8:11 am then 9:11 am, invoice numbers on my work ended in 11 and it continued for about an hour until I said, “Yes Father, I see you are with me and have nothing to fear.”.  11, my comfort number and now 56 broken down is 5+6 which equals 11.  A whole year of 11!

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Who says a year has to begin on January 1st?  Yes, the calendar year begins in January but spiritually and faithfully we can choose any day to begin anew.  I am choosing today, August 19,2020.  I am walking forward fresh, renewed, faithful, confident, strong, loved, and blessed and I am bringing you with me.

2 Corinthians 5:7 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Today I am walking as Jesus did in love, with forgiveness and blessing others before myself.  I am taking to kindness with a heart full of love.  No more darkness, no more negativity, no more letting the media take away my joy.  I am a child of God with a purpose here on earth that He is guiding and I am walking in that light.

When I realized my age added up to 11 it was a bright spotlight from heaven saying, “This is your year girl.  Go and get it in My name!”   No excuses!

In Luke 14 verses 16-24 talks about not missing opportunities with making excuses.  It’s a parable of a great and beautiful banquet that many were invited to but everyone had something more important to do.  They made earthly excuses and did not attend. They prioritized earthly things over the opportunity to experience the kingdom of God. I have done this many times but not today.  Today I am attending the banquet and staying.

Luke 14:16-24 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ …

Please join me in starting a new year, God’s New Year!  Goodbye to the earthly things that have robbed me of my joy and happiness for the last 5 months.  Hello again to gratitude, love, faith, kindness, peace, joy, and praise.

Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Psalm 96:3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!

1 Corinthians 11:1-2 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.

Thank you for sharing my birthday with me and beginning a new year in Christ.  My love, gratitude and God’s blessings-LoLo