November 27-thanksgiving 

Happy Wednesday and I hope you are ready for some really good cooking tomorrow! And while you are having your turkey and your pecan pie, I hope you remember to be thankfully grateful. 


Yesterday, the first few people I encountered seemed to be miserable, and almost enjoying that misery. When I said “Good Morning” or “How are you?” their response was less than happy. The sad-sack reply made me wonder if they had lost their dog or if they had had an awful morning or just an awful month. It was just pitiful. But I tend to think it’s more of a habit, how they tend to act no matter what is going on around them—always with that pitiful attitude. There are people that you just can’t make happy. 


You’ve heard it said and probably sang “Count your blessings!” And that is perhaps the single greatest and simplest of all prayer principles. Our human nature is to focus on the negatives and overlook the innumerable, immeasurable positives. “Woe is me,” we tend to pray. “Lord, I need help with this [again]!” Rather than inviting the Lord into our midst in prayer, we tend to instead try to drag Him into our pity party. 


Now, please don’t misunderstand me: such prayers of a broken spirit are acceptable to God; however, if the totality of your prayer time is spent in a bless my heart session, then it is lacking in quid pro quo – which is to say, your prayers are all “take” and no “give.”


What are you to “give” to God in prayer? The very first words that leave your lips when you open up a dialogue with the Most High should be those of praise. Now, please don’t misunderstand me: such prayers of a broken spirit are acceptable to God; however, if the totality of your prayer time is spent in a gripe session, then it is lacking in quid pro quo – which is to say, your prayers are all “take” and no “give.”


The 136th chapter of Psalms is all about being thankfully grateful and offering praise to the Lord most high. In fact, it probably should be the Thanksgiving week theme chapter. 


“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever...Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights— His faithful love endures forever. the sun to rule the day, His faithful love endures forever. and the moon and stars to rule the night. His faithful love endures forever.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭136:1, 4-9‬ ‭NLT‬‬


When our prayers begin with praise, we are setting the proper tone with God for everything else you need to bring before His throne.  


Lord Almighty, God Jehovah we thank you for this day. We thank you for our very lives on this day. Thank you for being the God who cares and who provides for us. Who is a good good Father—our comforter, provider, healer, miracle maker, light in the darkness. Thank you for carrying us through our struggles not only today, but yesterday, and every moment in between and every moment that is to come. Thank you for your amazing, crazy love and for sending your Spirit to dwell within us. Thank you for putting up with us when we are ridiculous and silly. Thank you Lord that you for loving us so much that through no worth of our own, you were willing to send Your own Son to die in our place and take the punishment we know we deserve. Today and everyday, you deserve all the praise and all the glory for you are the God most High. Amen and amen. 


Love you dear friend,

Pam. 



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