An All In, Whole-Hearted Thanksgiving

Psalm 9:1 I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Thy wonders. 

Read the Psalm and you hear the author proclaim what he is in the process of doing. It's not a "maybe," its not a "I hope to" or "if I happen to see or feel something..."

I will. I will do this thing, this thing of thanksgiving, of gratitude. 

I think he's done it before. He knows. He is used to this holy habit, the consistent humbling and hash tag hallelujahs in his life. 

His heart-eyes zero in on the gifts, the wonders, and he gives his gift back, this thankfulness in the wonder of it all. 

The thankfulness is whole-hearted and whole on his lips, because of whole-body and whole-purposed love.   

It's every slice of the pie with lots of whipped cream and then the serving of it, its sitting and watching the game of football and cheering for your team--wearing the jersey and/or the "cheese head." He's all in! 

And its also the quiet gifts that turn his head to wonder. The moments that come in a whisper of "I created this for you today!  I saved you for this today!  I have this planned for you soon!" 

He feels it and knows it and bows his head in grace-filled gratitude at the Wonder, the wonder of all of it, just for him, and for us all. He can't help but tell.

This is how he does this life. Covered in grace, a heart beating to a song of gratitude and blood that needs to tell it in order to keep flowing and regenerating. He knows the power behind all of that, the way it heals and transforms. The telling uncovers the hope and the supernatural sets the table for one more. 

Here, write your name in the book. You're THE special guest today. Your name tag is written into eternity. 

Others ignore the invite, pushing it away, full from the world, bitter from its unrelenting pain. There is no truth, no winning team, nothing worth the fight...thriving on nothing but leftovers and carcasses of the dead.

But Love awaits when we say the words...Thank you Lord  for Your love, reveal it more and more to me...

 He will, and you'll keep coming back for seconds. 

He tells it, he shares it. Listen to the Psalmist, what he wants to tell. There always an invitation waiting. It's never lost, inscribed in gold each time. 

And there is always, always something to be grateful for. 

Begin today to bow your knee if only slightly, begin to take Him into your heart, to yearn to become whole-hearted and wonder-filled.  Grasp the bread in your hand for one more minute and remember, feel His goodness and His sacrifice. Slow down and savor the  cup, and taste and see...and I promise you, God promises you, you will  know your own whole-hearted thank-FULL-ness and wonder to tell of His gracious goodness and wonders. 

Lord, move today in those hearts yearning for Your peace and fullness. Allow for our prayers to be heard, for the eyes of the blind to be opened and the hard-hearted to be humbled. Let us look deeply and expectantly for Your wonders of glory and embolden us to tell of your majesty and your promises of Hope. You are Good and I will give thanks. Amen 

#1000Gifts (18th, 19th, and 20th). 

Three gifts of Traditions:

1. Mums on grave markers

2. Wednesday night Thanksgiving Service 

3. Turkey Soup   

Three Gifts of Autumn

1. Piles of crackling leaves on my campus

2. A clear view of the San Gabriel Mountains

3. The smells of pumpkin and cinnamon and cider

Gifts Made, Shared, Passed On.

1. A colorful crocheted scarf

2. An unsolicited blessing from a friend

3. God's Word in blogs for the world