Readers and friends, welcome to the week of Thanksgiving in the United States of America. This means I am going to make sure gratitude and giving thanks is my main focus for my personal journaling entries, which I turn into blog posts. That being said, though, I will still try to include articles of current events and news.
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I am participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in this month of November, and am using my personal journaling of prayer, terror, and thanks to create a book of at least 50,000 words in this yearly writing contest. I just started writing this book for NaNoWriMo last week. Therefore, between now and mid-December, I will be blogging a great deal more than usual as I participate in this contest. Please forgive the additional material each day. I know I already mentioned this, but I wanted to make sure I was clear and explain the reason why. Writing at lease fifty thousand words in less than two weeks creates a great deal of writing.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
(Note to self: I need to write a total of four thousand seven hundred words per day for the rest of the month of November in order to obtain this objective and win the writing contest of NaNoWriMo. Gulp. That's a lot of words for me to write, before the end of November. that being said, though, I know for a fact that it can be done. I have been known to write 10,000 words in one day, after all. Given this, I need to move up to my study immediately and use a keyboard with my tablet so I can write as much as possible today. Another gulp. I know I can do it. It's just a little pressure. The pressure is of the self-inflicted, of course.)
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Saturday and Sunday I didn't get much writing done at all since I started reading a book on spiritual warfare to help me learn how to pray about terrorism. It's a book called, "The Strategy of Satan" and it is by Warren W. Wiersbe. The book was written in 1979, but it reads like a modern book. It is extremely informational.
Check it out here: http://smile.amazon.com/Strategy-Satan-Warren-W-Wiersbe-ebook/dp/B0066E8WR2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1448287876&sr=1-1&keywords=the+strategy+of+satan
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Now, I am going to focus on giving thanks and counting my blessings. Hence, here are some inspirational blog posts about thanksgiving:
Title: "What I Learned about God from 365 Gratitude Posts on Facebook"
Link: http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/women/what-i-learned-about-god-from-365-gratitude-posts-on-facebook.html
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Title: "The Power of Your Testimony of Thankfulness - Powerpoint - November 23, 2015"
Link: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/powerpoint/powerpoint-november-21-2013.html
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Title: "Thanksgiving's Greatest Enemy"
Link: http://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-s-greatest-enemy.html
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Title: "2 Words That Will Change Your Life: Thank You"
Link: http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/2-words-that-will-change-your-life-thank-you.html
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Title: "A Story of Persistence - Thanksgiving Devotional - Nov. 22"
Link: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/thanksgiving-devotionals/a-story-of-persistence-thanksgiving-devotional-nov-2.html
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Title: Thanksgiving Devotionals on Crosswalk.com
Link: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/thanksgiving-devotionals/
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Title: "The Power of a Thankful Heart"
Link: http://www.ibelieve.com/faith/the-power-of-a-thankful-heart.html
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Title: "What I Learned From Keeping a Gratitude Journal"
Link: http://www.ibelieve.com/food-home/what-i-learned-from-keeping-a-gratitude-journal.html
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Title: "yada, yada, yada: a secret way to cope when you are pretty much sick of the world, the holidays & a crazy life"
Link: http://www.aholyexperience.com/2015/11/yada-yada-yada-a-secret-way-to-cope-when-you-are-pretty-much-sick-of-the-world-the-holidays-a-crazy-life/
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Title: "A Prayer for a Thankful Heart"
Link: http://www.ibelieve.com/food-home/a-prayer-for-a-thankful-heart.html
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Psalm 100:4-5 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
4 Enter his gates with a song of thanksgiving.
Come into his courtyards with a song of praise.
Give thanks to him; praise his name.
5 The Lord is good.
His mercy endures forever.
His faithfulness endures throughout every generation.
A psalm by David.
-- GOD’S WORD Translation (GW). Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group.
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2 Corinthians 9:15 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.
-- Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
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1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 Expanded Bible (EXB)
17 Pray ·continually [without ceasing], 18 and give thanks ·whatever happens [in all circumstances; in everything]. That is ·what God wants [God’s will] for you in Christ Jesus.
-- Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
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Each of these statements requires a different mindset and way of life. They are not one in the same. There is a difference with each. It is my goal, and my hope, to live each of these in gratitude and thanksgiving:
We either live a life of gratitude or ingratitude. Which will we choose?
We either live a week of gratitude or ingratitude. Which will we choose?
We either live a day of gratitude or ingratitude. Which will we choose?
We either live each moment today in gratitude or ingratitude. Which will we choose?
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My Blessings Counted Journaling, Gratitude Journaling, Thanks Journaling, and My Blessings Counted List:
Thank You, Lord, for...
Yesterday terrorism was prevented. Terrorists around the world made threats to attack and either didn't or were thwarted. Thank You, Jesus. To You be the glory forever and ever.
Thank You, Lord, for last week. Thank You, for speaking to me, guiding me, and helping me see things differently. Thank You for the insight You gave me into prayer and terror last week. I pray it only increases this week, and the week following, and the week after that.
I am quite grateful for this week. I cannot wait to see where You lead me and see all of the blessings You give me and those around me.
Thank You for the holiday of Thanksgiving. Lord, I cannot believe it is the week of Thanksgiving and that it is already here.
Lord, thank You that I know the true origins of Thanksgiving here in the United States of America--not the origins Massachusettes has chosen to focus on, hence the U.S. focuses on. I know that the true and first official Thanksgiving took place at Berkeley Plantation in Charles City, Virginia, and was when the first men landed on this land from England to establish the first permanent English colony back in 1607 (well before Plymouth and the pilgrims). (See this link under the tab of "The New World": http://www.berkeleyplantation.com/four-centuries.html) They gave thanks to God for their safe passage from England to the shores in modern day Virginia. The first official Thanksgiving was about thanking You, Lord, and was not about Plymouth, turkey, pilgrims, the Native Americans, etc. It was about giving You thanks. This was the premise and foundation of this nation. And, this should be the foundation of my life, Father.
Thank You for my time in Virginia and how I was able to step foot at the place of the First Landing, at Historic Jamestowne and the site of the original fort (which is above water), Berkeley Plantation (which was also the place "Taps" was written), Yorktown Battlefield, Surrender Field near the Yorktown Battlefield), etc.
Thank You for the beautiful mountains I can see outside my study window. Purple mountains with a slight dusting of powder sugar.
Abba, I am so thankful for my husband and best friend. He is such a good man and is so good to me.
Thank You for the weekend we just had.
Thank You, God, for...
Coffee
My tablet
The keyboard that goes with my tablet
My journal
The way I journal
Clean sheets
Clean bath towels
That my husband and I can actually go home this year for the holidays, since it's so close, and is a nice day trip.
That my dad does not mind us bringing Zack Beagle over so that he does not have to wait so long to be let outside and so that Zack can hang out with us.
That the weather looks better as far as traveling to my family home on Thursday and then returning to our home the same day.
The really good white chili I made yesterday. It's been years since I made it. I am not sure why it took me so long to make. I guess I just never think of it. Well, it is certainly on my mind now. Yum! I also am grateful that B (my husband) enjoyed it as well. Also, I am thankful we have at least two more meals of the chili, so I may not need to do any more cooking for a few days.
How the birds love coming to our home and know that they can find food and water here, so this is the hangout for the sparrows in our neighborhood.
Pumpkin. I just so thoroughly love and enjoy pumpkin. Yummers!
I just remembered a recipe I keep wanting to try, but I haven't. Sigh. Therefore, I think I will try it today. Thank You, Father, for bringing it to my attention once again. It included pumpkin, one of my favorites. (Thank You, Jesus.) But, it also includes another favorite: coffee. (Another: Praise the Lord and thank You!) I will try this recipe in a bit and see what I think. Only, I will cook it in a bowl, not in a mug. The recipe is: Title: "Pumpkin Spice Latte Mug Cakes. " Link: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/pumpkin-spice-latte-mug-cakes/e9a9f174-c088-467f-a5e6-2a4c464c9776?src=SH
I am quite grateful that my word count toward my National Novel Writing Month, prior to today, was: 17,924 words. (By the way, you don't have to write a novel in November in order to be part of NaNoWriMo. The only requirement is you write 50,000 words of a project, whether it is fiction or non-fiction. This is why my personal journaling of: "Prayer, Thanks, and Terror qualifies.)
Thank God for my home. What a major blessing it has been, is, and will be.
Thank the Lord for my coffee maker. Goodness. I shudder to think what I would do without it or without coffee.
Thank You again Lord, how even though construction is going on nearby, a lot of it let me add, how quiet it is and has been. I see big tractors doing their thing in a field nearby and know they are making noise, but I hear little to none.
Thank You for the Warren Wiersbe book, "The Strategy of Satan."
Thank You for one thousand seven hundred words for today so far.
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(838 a.m.) I am hungry. Therefore, I think I am going to go try the mug pumpkin spice latte cake. Be right back.
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Thank You, Lord, for the new recipe. The pumpkin spice latte in a mug recipe. I changed a few things in the recipe, though, so it would have less sugar. I used sugar free maple syrup rather than sugar. I also used a little more pumpkin than they recommended and I added a hint of vanilla extract. Then, when I cooked it, I cooked it all in large soup bowl, which is also where I stirred up the ingredients. It wasn't pretty when I pulled out, since it wasn't in a mug, but I really could care less if it's just me eating the recipe. Rather than using whip cream on top when I served it, I used half-in-half. The consistency is like pumpkin pie with how I added the additional ingredients and I can see making this a couple of times each week and whenever I have a sweet or a pumpkin craving. (Now that I ate my helping for today, I cannot help but think that I might want to add a packet of the sugar substitute and maybe one pack of sugar to add to the flavor, plus the sugar free maple sugar. Thank You, Lord, for this realization.)
Which just reminded me, thank You, Lord: I haven't made pumpkin soup this year. What was I thinking? Never mind how that's something I can do with the leftover canned pumpkin if I don't finish it in a few days after making mug pumpkin spice latte cake, and after I make pumpkin lattes.
Thank You, Lord, for canned pumpkin.
Thank You, Lord, for pumpkin lattes.
Thank You, Lord, for reminding me the little things often mean a great deal more than a big thing.
Whew. Yes. Dividing the mug pumpkin latte cake recipe into two would have been wise. One is much too much. I will finish this tomorrow or the next day. Thank You, Lord.
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It's my goal between now and Thanksgiving to see how many things I can thank God for. I want to move my heart and mind to giving thanks in and for all things, in spite of terrorism or the threat of terrorism. I want to give thanks because You are so good to me, Lord, and because You tell me to do so, pure and simple. Never mind how every single moment is full of blessings to count, if only I would stop, look around (search for them), and count them. Then, if I would only remember the blessings You, Lord, have given me for the rest of my life.
Isn't it better to give thanks than not?
Isn't it better to count my blessings than focus on all of the blah and yuck of this world?
Doesn't giving thanks move my focus to what really matters and what really is important in my life? It shifts my perspective and helps me to live a life of joy, not just happiness.
Lord, I realize that You waste nothing. Everything that happens in my life, You can use for Your glory. Therefore, I would really like to bring You even more glory through living a life of gratitude than ingratitude. I would rather focus on Your blessing than the blah and yuck. I would rather find Your blessings in times of storm than focus on the what-could-should-be's.
As a Christian, Lord, I know I deserve no blessing whatsoever. But, I also know that You bless me anyway and in order to bring yourself glory.
Thank You, Lord, for helping me want to try to always give thanks--in all things and for all things, in spite of the storms.
I also realize well how it's been in the storms You have blessed me the most.
Lord, help me to keep my focus on living a life of blessings counting and not on if-only or this isn't fair.
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Thank You, Lord, for...
This day to give You thanks.
This moment to give You thanks.
Zack Beagle
Sinan orange cat
Kara, our deceased black and white cat, who was a feral. She was also deaf, declawed, and had lung and breast cancer before she marched into our lives and adopted us in September 2014. She was only supposed to live to February 2015, but made it to September 26, 2015.
The life lessons we learned from Kara.
The faith lessons we learned from Kara.
My favorite coffee mugs
How Zack just came upstairs to join me on his dog bed in the study.
This new personal journaling system. I am writing my journal on my tablet in a document, then, I email it to myself once I journal enough pages. Then, I save it in/on the Cloud. Then, I save it to my laptop, to my eternal hard drive, and to an app. I also print it out so I can set it on my bookshelves. It sure makes it easier to review my journaling with the print out. I also save it to my e-reader as an e-book.
Lord, thank You for the new vision You just gave me, which is also a reminder. I want to count as many blessings as I can between now and Thanksgiving, because it is that time of year. But, also, given that it is this time of year, I want to count as many blessings from this past year as possible. Therefore, I will do precisely that after Thanksgiving as well.
Thank You, Lord, for putting this on my heart: I want to count the blessings from 2015 and from the past as well. This will be my focus between now and New Year's Day.
Thank You, Lord, for helping me to remember this in the middle of praying about terrorism.
I am grateful Sinan is hanging out on the floor outside the study so I have my two favorite furry critters hanging out with me. It means so much to me, Lord. Thank You for trusting me with them.
Lord, thank You for 2,704 words so far of my 4,700 word count goal for today. Needless to say, I am well beyond the halfway mark for today for my NaNoWriMo word count goal. The halfway point is 2,350 words.
How Zack beagle wags his tail in his sleep from time to time. It is so precious and touches me so.
I am thankful for the couple of snows we have had so far, along with the cold snaps we have had. I love the beauty of the snow and the way I can actually breathe, and not feel stuffed, when it's a cold day.
Thank You, Abba, for the reminder that I now have a bathtub I can use. I have had one since we moved in the last part of July. But, I am so used to not having a bathtub to use that I forget to take a bath. Lord, You jsut reminded me of it, and now that I am at my halfway point of my word count goal, I can plan to take one soon. I can then pray about terrorism as I do that and thank You, Lord, for things that I just simply won't share with the world.
I am grateful for email, for the internet, for my cell, for technology, for apps, and how I can carry all of my journaling on my cell and on my tablet.
I am thankful for all of the resources on the internet for and about giving thanks.
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Article: "Beyond Sunday: Worthy of Thanks"
Link: http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/beyond-sunday-worthy-of-thanks.html
Article: "12 Things to Thank God for in the Midst of Affliction"
Link: http://www.biblestudytools.com/blogs/mark-altrogge/12-things-to-thank-god-for-in-the-midst-of-affliction.html
Article: "The Power of a Grateful Heart: 21 Verses of Thanksgiving"
Link: http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/debbie-mcdaniel/the-power-of-a-grateful-heart-21-verses-of-thanksgiving.html
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Thank You, God, for...
Vinegar and water for cleaning.
That we have two bathtubs and a full-size shower in our house.
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Regarding terror:
News article: "Emails show DOD analysts told to 'cut it out' on ISIS warnings; IG probe expands"
Link: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/11/23/emails-show-dod-analysts-told-to-cut-it-out-on-isis-warnings-ig-probe-expands.html?intcmp=hpbt1
My personal thoughts and commentary: I thought we lived in a free country with a free press. To tell the DOD what to say as to the truth about ISIS (I'm not talking about their intelligence) means censoring. Censoring is what communism and socialism does. This is disturbing. But, it isn't surprising.
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What else am I thankful for? Let me think.
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