Keeping my life in Perspective

For a brief time we lived in India. I learned a lot. It radically shifted my thinking and has forever changed my life. I am thankful for running, clean water. I am thankful to eat the skin of an apple. I appreciate electricity a lot more. I enjoy quiet when I step outside of my home.

However, it didn't change the fact that I am a bit of a pessimist. Show me a glass filled half-way, and I will tell you it is half-empty, rather than half-full.

And so, at times I have to reign in my thoughts and take them captive. One such attempt is this little letter that God and I wrote. It hangs in my kitchen, to remind me of what is reality. It causes me to step back and look at how blessed I am.

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16) Dear, remember to respond to the boys with the Word of God and teach them to do likewise. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (Psalm 100:4) Play worship music! It stands to reason that you would probably sin less or raise your voice less if you are reminded of the way My angels sing in heaven. Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! (1 Chronicles 16:8) Praise those cute boys for the things they do well. Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34) And when you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, offer it of your own free will. (Leviticus 22:29) Don’t wait to feel like praising Me, you know God, your Creator. Praise Me that Mr. Smackdown, Mr. Easy, and Mr. Smiley poop, pee, eat well, and have noses that work. Praise me because they have strong immune systems. That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works. (Psalm 26:7) Poopy diapers mean out with the bad! Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107:8) Child, respond with love, even when the children don’t deserve it. I even responded in love when Peter denied me three times. Remember how I also healed that guy's ear when the group came to arrest me? And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. (Daniel 6:10) Stop and give thanks and ask the boys to do so with you. And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”(Luke22:19) Praise Jesus that you have received salvation. Likewise, offer yourself as a sacrifice to the Hubby and the boys. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57) Love well, give hugs and kisses, tickle, wrestle and play more. Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14) Stop and play—chores aren’t eternal. Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20) Daughter, you have three children and according to the doctors you weren't supposed to have any! Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6) I love the boys and Brian more than you, and will take care of them. Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. (Colossians 1:12) Life is short, pray, laugh, live, love HARD. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Colossians 3:17) Laundry, dishes, cleaning—give thanks that I make it possible through your husband for you stay home. In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:4) Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name (Hebrews 13:15) saying: “ We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. (Revelation 11:17)

You may be wondering how the India picture and the letter above are related. They aren't even remotely related. I was looking for a picture to accompany my ramblings, and came across this woman carrying wood. It struck me as something radically different from my life and I wanted to share.