Overflowing With Thankfulness

I am so thankful for a full table of people that I love. This is a fun mixture of some of our kids, niece and nephews, in-laws, sister and friends. We were celebrated the 4th of July which reminds me of how thankfu I am for the country we get to live in

 I have been thinking a lot about thankfulness lately. We could suppose that it is because it was Thanksgiving lately - and that holiday is a good reminder but truly it has been on my mind for quite a bit longer than that. My decluttering and simplifying challenge in October did help to make me think about thankfulness more as well - when I work at going through things I am faced with just how much stuff we have and how abundantly God has provided for us. But my thinking on this subject goes beyond that. I am thankful 😊 that I was raised by parents who were an example to me of being thankful, I have been blessed with knowing other thankful people and reading books that have encouraged me in that - Anne Voskamp's "1,000 Gifts" was one I enjoyed immensely.

  What really has been challenging me and convicting me in the area of thankfulness this year has been my reading of God's word. There are just so many verses that admonish us to be Thankful! I want to share a few of those with you. I also pulled some pictures from a random file this summer - they all are ones that remind me very much of some things that I am very thankful for. I will add captions to them as well as sharing the verses.

Music! It is such a delight to me that my family shares my love of music. Also the state land around our place where we can have fun roaming.

 Philippians 4:6 & 7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

More music! Piano duets are pretty great and I am so thankful for them!

Colossians 3: 16 & 17Next ChapterNext Book

Scripture Formatting

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 

17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

So thankful for sweet baby nephews ( I am very blessed in this regard though they are growing up quickly) and for strawberries and all the other lovely berries that we picked this summer.

 1 Thessalonians 5:17 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

God has blessed us so much with wonderful family (on both sides - we are blessed!) and a wonderful community to live in.

Colossians 2:6 and 7
"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

This is the verse that keeps coming up over and over in my mind and convicting me of my need to grow in this area. I need to overflow with thankfulness to God, I should overflow with thankfulness to those around me. Where ever I go and whatever I do this should be what is happening in my life. 

   Is this something you are working on too? May God bless you as you seek His will!