As You're Loading Up Your Plate...
During this holiday season as we sit down for our Christmas feast will we load up our plates with stress, anxiety and worries, or will we fill them with love, joy and thankfulness?
Paul talking to the Thessalonians says, “Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thes. 5:16-18 NIV)
Each year during Christmastime, I remember a bit of wisdom handed to me as a teenager with some stubborn difficulties in my life. I would always take them to a very close friend, my Dad. “Why is it,” I whined and complained, “that I can’t seem to cope with these problems?”
I remember my Dad’s long, thoughtful glance. “Maybe,” he offered, “it is because you aren’t grateful enough.”
“Grateful?” I asked. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the law of Living that you will discover someday,” he explained. My dad knew a lot about living. As I stood there reflecting his deep brown loving eyes pierced my heart. He went on.
“Focus on adversities and you’ll attract more of them (focus on stress and it will turn into distress). Be thankful for the privilege of living, and your life will grow increasingly bright.” He paused, looking at me with the love of a father. I am sure you have heard this phrase before but it truly impacted my life. He said “Michael, develop an attitude of gratitude, an attitude of thankfulness!”
I was a teenager then. Years of observing life and many wonderful people has left me convinced that what my Dad said that day is true. He has passed away now, but every holiday season I remember the times I complained to him about how hard it is to raise a family in today’s world. He always shared with me his advice to stop complaining and develop that attitude of gratitude and thankfulness.
That is the secret of living that my Dad shared with me so many years ago. So as you load up your plate this Christmas remember:
Pastor Michael Fernandez
“Gratitude is a God-honoring Attitude.”
Paul talking to the Thessalonians says, “Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thes. 5:16-18 NIV)
Each year during Christmastime, I remember a bit of wisdom handed to me as a teenager with some stubborn difficulties in my life. I would always take them to a very close friend, my Dad. “Why is it,” I whined and complained, “that I can’t seem to cope with these problems?”
I remember my Dad’s long, thoughtful glance. “Maybe,” he offered, “it is because you aren’t grateful enough.”
“Grateful?” I asked. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the law of Living that you will discover someday,” he explained. My dad knew a lot about living. As I stood there reflecting his deep brown loving eyes pierced my heart. He went on.
“Focus on adversities and you’ll attract more of them (focus on stress and it will turn into distress). Be thankful for the privilege of living, and your life will grow increasingly bright.” He paused, looking at me with the love of a father. I am sure you have heard this phrase before but it truly impacted my life. He said “Michael, develop an attitude of gratitude, an attitude of thankfulness!”
I was a teenager then. Years of observing life and many wonderful people has left me convinced that what my Dad said that day is true. He has passed away now, but every holiday season I remember the times I complained to him about how hard it is to raise a family in today’s world. He always shared with me his advice to stop complaining and develop that attitude of gratitude and thankfulness.
That is the secret of living that my Dad shared with me so many years ago. So as you load up your plate this Christmas remember:
Pastor Michael Fernandez
“Gratitude is a God-honoring Attitude.”
posted by Scott | 6:58 AM
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