Happy Thanksgiving from Petals from the Basket!
Silent but Thankful
About ten days ago, I stopped posting the little note-card-sized reminders that I was creating each day to go along with the Thirty-Days of Gratitude e-book. It seemed a little redundant to me. But instead of doing anything about it, I just went silent—not only on the blog but also on the Facebook page for the blog. I don’t know why. Maybe I just really had nothing to say because my recent words had merely been written rather than released from my heart; they were no longer springing out of the transparent realities of God was teaching me and doing in my life.
The interesting thing about silence is that you can hear so much in the midst of it. You hear the words of others as they ring truths into your thoughts when you take the time to read their long-preserved volumes of knowledge. You gain the ability to finally hear—truly hear—the difference between the cries and laughter of your friends and family, even when those tones are wearing each other’s clothing to disguise their true identity. You hear the whispers of your heart as, with every beat, it repeats its passion in tones that intertwine with the steady (sometimes monotonous) flow of everyday routines and well-planned schedules.
And when you finally hear the beautiful symphony created by the blending of these silent sounds, you understand fully why our Lord Himself gently commanded us in Psalm 46:10 to “be still”—to “cease striving.” For it is in the midst of that stillness that we know—really, honestly, with-a-firsthand knowledge know—that He is God.
So in this week that includes a day set aside for gratitude and culminates with the conclusion of a month that has done the same, take a moment—many moments, if possible—to listen to and learn from the silence. It is there that you will know what you need to learn of Him through the quietness of that moment. It is there that you will learn to recognize the sounds that need to join together to create the melody of praise and gratitude that you were created to share.
Gratefully Showing God’s Compassion in the Philippines
We are setting aside the thirty days of November to be intentional about demonstrating and expressing our gratitude. We’d love for you to join us!
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We are so blessed in 2013 to have the Internet with e-mail, Skype, Google Hangout, etc., allowing us to easily talk with or send messages to people all around the globe. This past week, I “coincidentally” reunited (via Facebook) with a dear friend I met in the Philippines in 1993. Only one day later, she was able to share with me that she and her family were safe—even though her home was no longer in existence, and the church where her husband pastors had an entire section wiped out. The majority of their church members lost their homes. But her words to me touched my heart: “Thank God everybody is safe.” She’s right—that’s what matters.
“Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.” (Proverbs 25:25, NIV)
In keeping with the thought from our Bible reading today—that God is compassionate—I want to share a link that my friend from the Philippines sent to me when I asked her how I could help. Please note that I must legally tell you that I am not responsible for any funds that you send, but I will also add on a personal note that I know this is a sincere need, and that they have set it up in a way that will keep them accountable, and that they will use the funds wisely—100% going directly to the need. (Please note that the listing of giving options is necessary—running to the ATM or the nearest bank to transfer funds is not an option in Aklan! I personally think the easiest, fastest—the need is NOW—and safest way is to use the “send money” tab in PayPal and use the e-mail address listed under the PayPal option to send funds.)
The top picture on the left in the blog post (“Help Rebuild Banga” written over the top) is my friend Bing-Bing’s church building, where her husband pastors; they lived in the parsonage—which is no longer standing. The need is great. I encourage you, if you so choose, and only if God leads you to do so, to consider this as a way to demonstrate compassion today to our needy sisters and brothers in Christ in the Philippines.
Click here to learn how you can show compassion to the church of
my friend Bing and her husband, Rehum Baldimor, in the Philippines.
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Thank you!
11 – 12 – 13
We are setting aside the thirty days of November to be intentional about demonstrating and expressing our gratitude. We’d love for you to join us!
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Are you like I am when it comes to cool dates like the one today? It’s silly, but I just love numbers and what they represent! No, that has nothing to do with our month of gratitude, but it won’t happen again until next year on December 13th, so I thought it was worth mentioning.
Often, we are quick to let a manager or clerk know when something is wrong with our order, our purchase, or our service (and rightfully so, when done with a gracious spirit, I might add). But how quick are we to let a manager know that we are thankful for the fact that we can trust his or her business, that a clerk was extra helpful, or that we’re glad they open early so that we can pick up what we need on the way to work? The Bible calls it “a word fitly spoken!” Encourage someone in the “selling” business today with a kind word of thanks via a phone call, a Facebook “like,” or the spoken word while you are in the store!
What a wonderful way to represent your Savior: through kind words and actions of gratitude!
___________ Today’s “leave a comment” question: What are some practical ways you’ve encouraged or thanked a shop owner or store clerk? ____________________ Click here to download the “guide” we are using for the Thirty Days of Gratitude. ___________ Would you like us to e-mail our posts to you? We’ll only send you the blog posts—no spam—and we won’t give your information to anyone else! In fact, you can unsubscribe at any time, and we’ll still be friends! Subscribe to Petals from the Basket by e-mail.Thank You, Veterans!
We are setting aside the thirty days of November to be intentional about demonstrating and expressing our gratitude. We’d love for you to join us!
_______________
In His sovereign plan for my father’s life, God allowed Dad to serve in—and live through—two wars: Word War II and the Korean Conflict. In Korea, he was a navigator in a B-29, serving with the US Air Force. Though I try to call my parents every day to just chat and see how things are going, on Veterans Day every year I call for one purpose only: to thank my dad for serving our country.
The service that these brave, courageous, and loyal men and women have demonstrated deserves our gratitude today—and every day.
___________ Do you have a Veteran (friend or family) that you honor today? If so, what branch of the military was he or she in—and when? ____________________ Click here to download the “guide” we are using for the Thirty Days of Gratitude. ___________ Would you like us to e-mail our posts to you? We’ll only send you the blog posts—no spam—and we won’t give your information to anyone else! In fact, you can unsubscribe at any time, and we’ll still be friends! Subscribe to Petals from the Basket by e-mail.