Spiritual Reflections – Page 20

Thanksgiving

Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2

Every November I, along with millions of others, would sit around the table at what we call “Thanksgiving.” I’d eat and laugh and reminisce on how another year has passed. And yes, I would be thankful. My tradition was to ask every person at the table to say what they were thankful for in the year gone by.

But how quickly I can forget the spirit of Thanksgiving. As my life gets entrenched in the routines of the day, my mind wanders and the thankfulness is forgotten.

There are times when its brought back to my remembrance. When a death occurs, an anniversary, a birthday.

The Scripture above reminds me to continue being thankful because I have been truly blessed. It is comforting to know that no matter what happens, I can find something to be thankful for.

So I’m trying to live with a spirit of thankfulness every day. Continuing to remember all that God has provided me in friendships, material things, health, family. Each blessing unique and each one filling my heart with contentment.

Thank you Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Things

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

The world screams for our attention. I don’t know how many more reality shows they can come up with or how many more new gadgets they can make to help us live “simpler” lives.

But, I do know that my attention has to be focused on things “above.”

I had a dream a couple nights ago that I was being attacked by the “monster” that was on the TV show called Lost. I haven’t seen this show since it’s finale back in May/June of last year.

In the show, there was this smokey monster that would occasionally pop up and suck people up and kill them.

In my dream, a few of us were inside and we saw the monster coming so we put towels under the doors so he couldn’t come in. After we thought he was gone, we removed the towels and went outside. I then noticed that the “monster” was still around. He came up to me and passed my face. I thought I was safe. Then he turned around and sucked me right up.

Now, had I not watched this show, I would never have had this dream that terrified me.

Had I set my mind on things “above” — things that are beautiful and pure — this dream would never have happened.

“Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

The world screams for our attention. I don’t know how many more reality shows they can come up with or how many more new gadgets they can make to help us live “simpler” lives.

Seattle Seahawks – Lynch Runs for the Win

Amazing! This run by the Seattle Seahawks player Lynch is absolutely fantastic!

This shows what real teamwork can do — in business, marriage, personal relationships and as a church.

1 Corinthians 12:2 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. (NIV translation)

Southview Seventh-day Adventist Church in Minneapolis

I attended the Southview Seventh-day Adventist Church in Minneapolis for the first time today.

Southview Seventh-day Adventist Church in Minneapolis, MN

We entered through the front door. Since there were no greeters, we assume most people came in through the side door.

Front Door, Southview SDA Church, Minneapolis, MN

Side door, Southview SDA Church, Minneapois, MN

Sidewalk to side door of Southview SDA

The Sabbath School had already started when we arrived at 10:45 a.m. The church service started at 11:30 a.m. and is traditional in nature. The congregation is very diverse. There were over 35 children present.

The wood in the church was dark. This is a chandelier that hung from the ceiling.

Stained glass window at Southview SDA Church in Minneapolis, MN

The stained glass windows were pretty.

This church reminded me of the one I left in Seattle although the one in Seattle had streams of light that came in and the wood was lighter.

The sermon was on remembering the poor. The leaders, including the Pastor, were energetic and kept my attention — a good thing.

Oprah Wisdom

Near Calgary, Alberta, Canada

In the January 2011 edition of O, The Oprah Magazine, Oprah says “Once you clarify your purpose for doing something, the way to do it becomes clear.”

I have personally found that to be true. It’s easy to go through life with no direction. Nothing really gets accomplished. But when you define what your purpose is then your mind takes the steps necessary to make that purpose a reality. Your heart follows and anticipates the accomplishment.

Forgotten People

Sometimes there are people who go away and we don’t see them for awhile. We wonder what happened to them, if they’re still alive. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to reach out and bring them back into our arms.

Anger

Listening to a spiritual podcast by Joyce Meyer, I was reminded of my humanness as she talked about anger.

Sometimes we get angry at people and we hold onto it as if our anger is going to somehow make them change. Yet it doesn’t. It only changes us by filling us with resentment and sometimes hate.

A phrase that Joyce Meyer used to describe it is “we’re still eating poison hoping they will die.” The poison is the anger. And instead of them dying it is us who slowly die by hanging on to things that should have been let go of long ago.

The Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your…

And here’s a blog from my friend William on how Christ responded to his persecutors when crucified. Instead of anger, love and forgiveness. I pray that will be the way I respond to the “little” things in my life that I get angry about.

Joyce Meyer

One of my favorite speakers is Joyce Meyer. She reminds me of myself in so many ways. She always talks about things that happen in her life and about being practical. Her moods used to sway back and forth just like mine.

Recently she spoke about being upset with her husband and when they went to bed she lay way on the other side of the bed so as not to touch him. Lying in bed, she was cold but felt too much pride to reach for the blanket. Meanwhile, her husband slept peacefully on the other side. Which made her even madder.

I laugh at this shared experience but remember an identical one in my own life. Quite stubborn and proud.

I’ll bet as humans we all share similar experiences but are afraid to talk about them for fear other people may think we’re not normal. I have yet to figure out what normal is.

But I do know that the more I’ve trusted in God, the less proud and selfish I’ve become.

Power Thoughts: 12 Strategies to Win the Battle of the Mind

A New Year

People make such a fuss about the “new year.”

In reality, every day that we wake up is the start of a new year. Every day we have choices. We can:

Choose to be kind or unkind
Choose to eat healthy or unhealthy
Choose to be productive or lazy
Choose to clean or be messy
Choose to live or die, physically and spiritually

It’s all up to me what I choose and how I live the first day of the rest of my life.

Blog on Worry and Anxiety

Today I received a blog from a friend on worry and anxiety. It touched my heart so I thought I’d share it with you.

Click here to read it.

When I would go hiking, I used to worry that a bear would creep up and maul me to death. It never happened. It has happened to other people but I have not been one of them. How much time I spent worrying over something that MIGHT have happened instead of enjoying the walk that I was on.

I hope you enjoy my friend’s blog.