Great and Grateful

Living here in the “Bible Belt”  I read many a church sign. Some of them are witty and others are down right weird.

I did come across one that I did like. It read  “A GRATEFUL MIND IS A GREAT MIND.”

As I reflected on that particular sign I thought about my various “states of mind” on any given day.

Some days I am focused.

On other’s not so much.

On occasion I can keep a very clear train of thought and accomplish much in record time. Then there are days I’m left looking around having nothing substantial to show for my efforts.

Yet, when I focus on counting my blessings, I gain clarity that at other times alludes me.

When I am grateful it puts into perspective all the minor and petty things that don’t really matter. Annoyances, headaches and temporary trials don’t compare to God’s great grace, mercy and favor.

If I did not continually count my blessings, I would get bogged down in the nonsense of the day, other people’s drama and become mired down in things that aren’t any of my business!

We must renew our minds daily as not to magnify our problems instead of God!

DSC_6110 (2)  When we make a habit to appreciate how good God is to us, we are compelled to offer mercy, compassion and kindness as we have received it. The realization that we are not worthy but God loves us anyway should move us to love our neighbor/brother enough to not just pray for them but actually “do” for them.

Allowing our gratitude to move us into action produces great deeds and great love, the kind Jesus would have us show toward one another.

In this season of thanks, don’t merely settle for being grateful, act grateful. Allow your gratitude to move you to do something for someone else. What you may consider a small gesture can make a world of difference for someone else!

Allow gratitude to adjust your attitude.

Be grateful and B Blessed!

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NKJV

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! 1 Chronicles 16:8 NKJV

By Lilka Finley Raphael

Author, Editor, Gardner, Photographer, Pharmacist

26 comments

  2. Lilka, you are a great writer! May your faith guide your pen exactly where the Lord wants it to go…Have a super Thanksgiving with your friends/family!

    Steve 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thanks so much Steve, I appreciate that. I just finished one Thanksgiving up in D.C and will celebrate again this week. So much to be grateful for! All the best to you and yours. Enjoy a very Blessed Thanksgiving! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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  5. Such a timing post Lilka. The past couple of weeks I’ve been yearning to do for others. My best friend from California is in town and he has an outreach ministry we’re going to implement here in Ohio.

    What I’m going through spiritually I know it’s of God because He said love others. I like when you said don’t just pray for others do something for them. That’s new for me.

    Reading this post put everything in perspective for me. It’s gratitude for what the LORD has done for me that has me on fire to give back. And I know I only can keep it by giving it away.

    Thanks for the insight.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Vernon,

      I am so happy to hear how God is moving through you and pushing you to move on what He is placing in you! There comes a time when we must move from complacency to trusting God to equip us to do whatever He calls us to do.

      I’m glad the post was a bit of confirmation for you.
      B Blessed as you implement your new ministry!

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      Reply

  9. “If I did not continually count my blessings, I would get bogged down in the nonsense of the day, other people’s drama and mired down in things that aren’t any of my business!”

    How very very true! And what a lovely thought. So much more than the recital of “say thank you say thank you” we are brought up with. I grow my soul by saying thank you! Now that is cool!! 🙂

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  10. Thinking about and thanking God helps me keep Him present in my mind. I also am thankful that He gave me the spirit to find and use the knowledge and wisdom from the truly unfortunate experiences, which have become positive through my ability to help those who are suffering.

    I love the colors and pictures you choose. Very uplifting.

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    1. It’s great you can take the negative and turn it into something positive that helps others. The majority of people who suffer something unfortunate can’t look up to God and and beyond their circumstances to do that.

      I simply choose to take pictures of the things around me, mostly in my own backyard. God puts so much beauty around us that most of us take for granted. I try to never assume that I will get to see another season.

      Tomorrow isn’t promised. I think that makes me appreciate the present all the more. It has taken some losses in my life and some very close calls with my loved ones to bring me to that point. Again, taking bad experiences and becoming wiser and “doing” better because of them. If only some lessons were learned earlier in life. 🙂

      Enjoy a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!

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  11. These are beautiful thoughts! And they are so true. Growing in the knowledge and grace of the Lord is a life-long process, much like any self-improvement plan we have for ourselves. However, the self-growth goals we set for ourselves are often driven by a desire to achieve more worldly results.

    On the other hand, the spiritual-improvement is driven by a desire to achieve more “other-worldly” results. Both are good things to pursue, but the Godly goals should be our first desire. Not all people accept that statement, but a spiritually-based life will bring more and better results in every way!

    Good post today. Have a great one…

    Clayton

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    1. As always, thanks for just being you!

      Your statements are so true. Putting those Godly goals first makes all the difference its just a pity it often takes way longer than it should before we figure that out.

      Have a wonderful weekend! Lilka

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      1. Yeah, Lilka, we are a bit “slow on the uptake” when it comes to centering our lives around God’s will. Thanks for the compliment and your reply.

        I always want to hear from you…

        Enjoy Sunday…
        Clayton

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  12. Thank you for these excellent words! I find that the more grateful we are for the small things, the more big blessings we receive. As you say, it’s a matter of fiocusing on what’s on our mind and conforming our thoughts according to God’s power and will : )

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    1. Thanks for stopping by!
      I agree with you. If we take time to slow down, stop and recognize the blessings that we often take for granted it often puts things in their proper perspective!

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