As we roll into the holiday season, many of us begin to contemplate what we are thankful for. After all, the celebration that happens first in this season is Thanksgiving. Tomorrow, families and friends will gather to enjoy one another's company, share food, and be reminded of all the reasons they are thankful. I have often thought about the idea of giving thanks or being thankful, and would like to offer my two cents on the topic and then explain what I am thankful for.
Whenever you contemplate giving thanks, have you wondered, "Who am I giving thanks to?" Or do you know for sure who the One is that you are thankful to? It's quite a profound question when you think about it. I would guess that most people say that they are thankful for this and that, without giving much thought at all to the Source of their thanksgiving. Is it possible to be thankful without rendering your thanks to God? I would conclude that this is not possible. Scripture says, that "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from
the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to
change." (James 1:17) If we begin with the presupposition that all good things come from God, then wouldn't we have to conclude that anything good in which we are thankful for has come from God? And do we not, therefore, have to give thanks to Him for that good thing? God is the Giver of all good things and so as long as we are thankful for good things in our lives, we must offer our thanks to the Good God who has made us and blessed us far more abundantly than we could ever think or imagine.
This brings me my reason for being thankful, not only this week or this holiday season, but in the past year and a half. I am thankful... for my job. Yes, you read correctly. I am thankful for my job, I am thankful for work. When Chance and I arrived in Dallas, I immediately interviewed for a job that was very close to where we were living. The position was that of an executive assistant/office manager in a financial management firm in Dallas. The building where this company is located is one of the most beautiful in Dallas. When I arrived for my first interview, I was stunned by the beauty of the building, the office space, and the view from the conference room where I was escorted upon my arrival. Well, to make a long story short, I was hired about two weeks later. Praise the Lord! It took me quite a few months to get used to the working environment and simply working full-time, but I have come to appreciate a whole host of things about this job. I have learned a great deal about myself while working here. I have been challenged to be more bold, to be assertive, to think critically, to mulitask, and to be responsible for many facets of a business. It has been a joy to work with my co-workers and to work under a boss who genuinely cares about his employees. I admit that working has not come without its challenges, but I am grateful for all (okay most of them) and wouldn't change my circumstances for the world. Admittedly, I have been discontent and complained along the way. However, God has taught me that He is a Great Provider and the One who orchestrates circumstances for my good and His glory.
As I close out this chapter of working in the corporate world full-time it is with reluctance and excitement. I will have the privilege of staying home to look after and care our new baby, Hudson, who Chance and I will be welcoming into the world in less than two months! We could not be more excited to see what the Lord has in store for our family. I am thankful for my job, for my co-workers, my boss. I am thankful to God for all these things and more and give Him the glory for all He has done and continues to do in my life.
May we all seek to praise the Giver and Provider this Thanksgiving and Christmas season.
As Paul said it so well in referring to the Lord Jesus, "Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15)
After reading this article posted on The Gospel Coalition, from Desiring God's blog about making the most of one's morning , I was challenged and encouraged to think about my daily 'food' intake. With the rush of hormones that cause a pregnant woman to be hungry at all times, I have begun to think about the necessity of being always hungry for a helping of God's Word.
When I was in college, I routinely went to bed earlier than most, and got up in the morning earlier than most (thankfully my roommate junior year was the same way). I enjoyed this more and more in the latter years of college, as my taste for the Scriptures grew and as my schedule became increasingly demanding. I would characterize my college days as a whirlwind of activities, punctuated by precious times spent with the people that I love: Chance, my dear friends, and my church family. To put it simply: I was always on the go. This meant that the alone time that I had in the early mornings (usually waking between 6:30 and 7:00a.m.) was priceless to me -- I needed it to stay refreshed and have energy to take on the day. So I made it a habit. My senior year, I was married, and having to adjust to a new routine. Chance is also an "early to bed, early to rise"-type, lucky for me, so our schedules have always worked very well together. I begun waking (most days) when he would in order to spend some time with the Lord while Chance did the same. That year was a dream because I was in school full-time and had benefit of a lot of free time. I would spend a lot of time reading, praying, and running in the mornings, and I loved it.
Fast forward a year or so to right now. I work full-time, while Chance is in school full-time. I work 8:00 to 4:30p.m. Monday through Friday. I come home and cook dinner every night. We serve our church two nights a week. Life has changed, we are still busy. Now more than ever, I covet that free time I had every morning during my senior year . There are some days that I don't want to get out of bed because I am just plain exhausted. There are other days when I jump out of bed, ready to get in the Word. It seems that as life changes, the busyness never truly goes away and so I am learning to adjust. I am learning to give myself grace and recognize that I am not earning anything by spending my morning reading my Bible. I am learning to rest in the Lord, and enjoy His presence.
The article that I mentioned above is simply an encouragement to make your soul "happy in God" by refreshing it with a generous helping of the Scriptures. Whether that is first thing in the morning, or late in the day, we should all heed the advice of letting the Word saturate our souls. David talks about this, in Psalm 63, where he says, "My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night.." (vv. 5-6) So on this Friday afternoon, let God's steadfast love which is better than life (Ps. 63:3) satisfy your soul as food does your palette. Enjoy your weekend! I am off to Florida!
While reading Tim Challies' blog - my favorite blog for retrieving new desktop wallpaper each month - I clicked on a link to Matt Berman's website. The former director of strategy at Desiring God wrote an article about our motives at work. It is excellent, helpful, and edifying.
Read it here.
And then apply it.
To God be the glory.
