A More Encompassing Vision for This Blog and My Writing

Life and writing depend on balance. Hence, this blog is no different.

I want to write about Infinite Blessings. However, there is more to it than just that.

Consequently, the question which recently came to mind is: What do I really want to write?

Several different answers came to mind in response. Hence, I asked myself a follow-up question: How can I encompass everything I want to write in one and is it even possible to include all of it in one theme or category?

Hmm… I thought on this for a while and came up with this:

“A Way of Life: The Faithful Trio of Prayer, Bible, and Thanks (A Spiritual Memoir)”

I am not sure if that exact title will stick. However, I can say this. I will stick with this theme, even if it is reworded, for weeks, maybe months, and maybe even years. So, this is my new blog theme.

If you dig around in this blog, or have read it before, you will know that these three aspects are vital parts to my life and writing. Hence, this theme is no surprise.

There is nothing more important to me than the faithful trio. And, if you are Christian, the same can be and should be said about you.

After all, the Bible tells us how we are to pray, meditate (think on, ponder, contemplate) the Bible, and give thanks 24/7/365. All the time. Morning, noon, and night. Forever and a day. Without stopping. Without ceasing.

Forgive my silliness in the previous paragraph, where I was quite redundant, even redundantly so. However, it was to make a point. I hope I made it. Let me try again just in case.

The Bible tells us to pray, meditate on the Word, and give thanks all the time, even as we do other activities. I want to spend some time trying to figure out how to do the faithful trio. The upcoming blog posts will be the story of my journey trying to do so. So, stay tuned. Tomorrow will be the start of a way of life and living the faithful trio. 

Joy vs. Happiness and Psalm 9:1-2 (MSG)

Lord, thank You for these verses. They have certainly blessed my socks off. And, that is putting it mildly.

I can live these verses for the rest of my life and I want to do so.

If my tombstone was large enough, I would want to include these verses on it. But, this would also do: "A woman of joy, who lived Psalm 9:1-2 (MSG)." So, until then, I want to try to live this verse every single day, moment by moment.

What incredible verses to live each moment.

Joy can be found in every moment. Happiness cannot. Joy is not contingent on anything. Happiness depends on choice and often times on outer circumstances and emotions, both of which change with the wind. Joy is inner and is deeper. It depends on nothing but faith. Joy is eternal while happiness changes by the moment and mood.

Joy is not something we can intentionally gain. It is given to us by the Holy Spirit:

Galatians 5:22-23 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

Therefore, joy is not something we manufacture. Rather, it is given to us when we believe in Jesus Christ.

Psalm 9:2 The Message (MSG)
9 1-2 I’m thanking you, God, from a full heart,
    I’m writing the book on your wonders.
I’m whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy;
    I’m singing your song, High God.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Joy: Psalm 9:2 The Message (MSG): My new life verse

Psalm 9:2 The Message (MSG): My new life verse

Every now and then, a verse will come around and ruin me. This is one of those verses.

Let me explain, though, what I mean by ruin. It grabs my attention so much, so hard, so powerfully, so awesomely that I cannot think or do much of anything else after I read the verse. I become obsessed with it, in the best form of the word, where I memorize the verse, pray on it, meditate on it and think on it as much as possible. I spend as much time thinking on it and praying on it as possible and I also journal about the verse or verses. 

When a verse grabs me, my heart and mind, it is  challenge of me to look at any other verses for a while. The verse becomes what I eat, drink, and breathe. It becomes part of me and a way of life and living. 

Sometimes my focus on a verse like this lasts days. Sometimes, it lasts weeks. Sometimes, it lasts months. Sometimes, it lasts years. 

This is one such verse. So, stay tuned. I will write a great deal more about it at least in the next blog post.

This is my new life verse:

Psalm 9:2 The Message (MSG)

A David Psalm

9 1-2 I’m thanking you, God, from a full heart,

    I’m writing the book on your wonders.

I’m whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy;

    I’m singing your song, High God.

The Message (MSG)

Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

The Blessing of Repeated Mistakes

I keep making the same mistake. Repeatedly. Over and over. I am a woman of redundancy with this error. I am constant with this wrongdoing.  (Have I made my point yet? I ask with a mild grin.)

The worst part is how I know I keep making it. I learn from my wrongdoing. I have my eyes opened. I repent and turn from my wicked ways. It works for a while. I even excel with doing it right. For a while.  Then, I slip and fall into my own ways. 

Ugh. 

It gets worse. I have repeated the exact same mistake off and on for over two and a half years now... Actually, it has been since Wednesday, November 06, 2013. 

I hang my head as I make this confession. 

How can I be such a fool?

How can I keep hurting myself in such a way and so deeply? 

When am I going to learn and apply what I learn? My life would be drastically different if I did. Is it because much is required for me to do so? Do I keep slipping because I realize how much I need to change in order to live in such a manner?

The previous paragraph is an important one, I realize I need to think and pray on for a while. And, I shall. 

I keep forgetting to count my blessings. This is my thorn. This is my error and repeated mistake. It is the one I have made since November 2012. 

The Bible says repeatedly and in different ways to always give thanks and to be grateful for everything.

This is how I should live. 

It is a blessing to make this mistake repeatedly because I know what it means to not count my blessings. I know the difference of what my life is like if I do count them. 

It is how I want to live.

I want to live a life of infinite blessing.

How Will We Choose to Handle Each Moment?

Life is a challenge--and that is on a good day and in a good moment. Our days and moments are not perfect. They never have been. Nor will they ever be. 

What sets us apart is how we handle every moment.

What matters is how we choose to handle each moment. 

Are we going to choose to complain, throw a fit, cry, holler, go numb, deny, ignore, regret, yell at God, or something else that does not help?

Will we search for, find, and count the blessings of every moment of every day? And will we try to remember them?  This what sets apart the wise from the foolish, the mature from the immature, and the godly from the ungodly. 

The Purpose and Meaning of Life: Be blessed with who and what we have now

All of us have a purpose. This purpose is what brings meaning to our lives. 

We all have the same purpose and the same meaning. It is what defines us as individuals and is what unites us. It is the appreciation of life as it is today and in this moment, no matter what is or is not happening.

If we cannot count our blessings for what we have now, we will never be satisfied and will always want more. If we cannot be trusted with the blessings we have now, why should we be blessed with anything more? We surely do not deserve more. 

If we are not thankful for what we have in our lives today and in this moment, there is nothing and no one that could possibly make us happy. 

What we have should be all we want or we need. And, if we are blessed with something or someone new or different, we need to count them as a blessing we did not anticipate. We should realize how blessed we are because what we had we already counted ourselves as blessed. With the new blessing, we are even more blessed and even less deserving. 

Infinite Blessings

Life has infinite blessings.

Each day.

Every moment.

No matter what. 

Whether times of sunshine or storm, we are still infinitely blessed. 

What separates a foolish mind from a wise mind is the realization of how through it all, we are blessed. The wise find blessings, and count them, in every situation. The wise know how no matter what happens, we are thoroughly blessed. 

What blessings have you had this year?

What blessings have you had this year?

Journal about them.

List as many as you can all day and throughout the night from now until December 31st.

This is the end of year blessings counted challenge.

Happy Snowy Thanksgiving

Enjoy your day as you count your blessings of the past, present, and future.

Give thanks

Colossians 3:17 New Living Translation (NLT)

17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Count your blessings in your journal.

My Personal Journaling on Memorial Day (A Christian Perspective)

I am heavy hearted thinking of those who died for me and my freedom.

Earthly representatives of what Jesus Christ did for me. 

They sacrificed their lives so I might live. 

Oh, how I take this for granted. I do not mean to, but do.

Shouldn't I live a fuller, more abundant life because of their sacrifice? I do not want their sacrifice to be in vain.

Shouldn't I look at what Jesus Christ did for me in the same manner and live a fuller, more abundant life because of Him and how He died so I can live? 

And, isn't this what my journaling offers and helps me achieve?

Thoughts to ponder for a long, long time on this Memorial Day. 

Go ahead and journal your thoughts. 

Memorial Day: A Journal Prompt or Exercise

Remember those who have served in the U.S. Military and those who have given their lives for your freedom. After all, without their serving, we would have none.

Journal about them, this, and why and how you are grateful.

Count the blessings you have because of them.

Do you know someone who paid the cost? Remember them now. Journal.

If you do not know anyone personally who died, you can still take several moments today to remember, thank God, and journal about what they did for you and how they did it for your freedom.

What do you take for granted about your freedom?

People have given their lives for us and our freedom. This should make us live every moment differently. Shouldn't it?

Remember those families who have lost someone in war. This day is for them. Not for us.

Day 2 What is a Life of Thanks (in America)?

Welcome to the second day of: "A Life of Thanks: The Blessings of Life in America Since 1607." This is a combination of a blog post series, a memoir, and daily devotional and journaling thoughts about counting my and our blessings of life in America. It's to help us appreciate the supreme blessing we have now, from our past, and in our future as a nation and as individuals. Therefore, as I share daily thoughts, I hope we will count our blessings--and do so more each moment of every day.

Counting our blessings helps us ensure we do not take anyone or anything for granted. It also helps live a more intentional, purposeful life.

There is another reason for this blog post series: I do not know about you, but what has happened in our country since September Eleventh, 2001 has me disturbed. Current events and politics only add to my disturbance. What has happened to us as a nation? Have we lost our way? Have each of us pulled our weight to make America the land of the free and beautiful? And far more importantly, have I?

Now would be a good time for me to make a request. Keep a journal and count your blessings about your life in the United States of America. Also, think through,and interact with, each day's material in your journal.

Why should you do this? It's because the more you think things through, and the more blessings you count, the more you will get out of these daily readings. Journaling will help you with this endeavor.

Another reason to have a journal and count your blessings is to help you keep track of them. On a tough day, or in a tough moment, it can be difficult to find one blessing to count. Keeping a list helps remember in spite of that moment, our lives are extremely blessed and it helps us see that this moment is temporary. Hence, counting our blessings gives us proper perspective and helps us live a better life in spite of the challenges of the moment.

The last decade and a half, our nation has seen its challenges. Our current events show how we are divided more as a country than we have been in decades. Living a Life of Thanks is one way each of us can actively make a difference in this regard.

Is living a life of thanks a way to have world peace? I wouldn't go that far. People are people. And, because people are people, I do not think without the hand of God we could ever achieve world peace. However, learning to count more bleeding than find worries or complains sure couldn't hurt or make things worse. In fact, it would help each of us individually to live better lives,more purposeful lives. If we were to really do this, we as individuals, as families, as communities, as states, as a country, and as a world would be radically transformed.


Devotional and Journaling Thoughts:

List at least five things you are thankful in your life.

List at least five things you are thankful for regarding America.

How would you define "A Life of Thanks?"

I would rather count my blessings than complaints. How about you? Journal your response.

List at least five more things you are thankful for.

Living Philippians 4:6 Today

Personal prayer journaling

Lord, You know me and worrying. It is something I have always struggled with and is something I try to stop. You have taught me that worrying is also thinking about something more than once, something that tends to dwell in my thoughts, when I should be praying, being open to You, counting my blessings, and thinking of You.

Philippians 4:6New Living Translation (NLT)

6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Lord, You know how my life is in... What is the Word? Not in upheaval... In flux? Yes. My life is in the waiting mode. My husband, whom I will call B, and I are waiting for answers. We moved and are awaiting a job and house to open up and this is a little unnerving. Scratch that. Or could be. If I think about this, waiting for the stars to align so to speak, my heart starts to pound and I start to feel uneasy. Then, I remember Who is really in control, Who has perfect timing, and Who has a perfect plan. That is all I need to remember and then I stop worrying. You are perfect and infinite. You know best.

You have never once failed me. Your timing and plan are usually, okay--always, different from mine, but have always been for the best. So, I do not worry about job or house. I do not need to, for You have it. You are in control. You are capable. You know so much more than I. To YOU be the glory. Use us, Lord, for Your will.

I am not worried overall and am absolutely confident in You and Your perfect plan. Thank You, Lord, for bringing me to this point.

Help me, Lord, to pray for and about everything as I also count my blessings.

Living Philippians 4:6 Today

Personal prayer journaling

Lord, You know me and worrying. It is something I have always struggled with and is something I try to stop. You have taught me that worrying is also thinking about something more than once, something that tends to dwell in my thoughts, when I should be praying, being open to You, counting my blessings, and thinking of You.

Philippians 4:6 New Living Translation (NLT)

6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Lord, You know how my life is in... What is the Word? Not in upheaval... In flux? Yes. My life is in the waiting mode. My husband, whom I will call B, and I are waiting for answers. We moved and are awaiting a job and house to open up and this is a little unnerving. Scratch that. Or could be. If I think about this, waiting for the stars to align so to speak, my heart starts to pound and I start to feel uneasy. Then, I remember Who is really in control, Who has perfect timing, and Who has a perfect plan. That is all I need to remember and then I stop worrying. You are perfect and infinite. You know best.

You have never once failed me. Your timing and plan are usually, okay--always, different from mine, but have always been for the best. So, I do not worry about job or house. I do not need to, for You have it. You are in control. You are capable. You know so much more than I. To YOU be the glory. Use us, Lord, for Your will.

I am not worried overall and am absolutely confident in You and Your perfect plan. Thank You, Lord, for bringing me to this point.

Help me, Lord, to pray for and about everything as I also count my blessings.

How I want to live

A devotional and personal prayer journaling:

I want to allow the Bible, verse by verse, to sink as deeply into my heart and mind as possible. I want to listen fully to You, Lord, and learn everything You want me to from each verse. I do not want to read a word and then move on. I do not want to rush the process. I want to pray the Word and meditate on it literally day and night.

Lord, teach me to do all these things.

Lord, what do You want me to learn from the following verse?

Philippians 4:6 New Living Translation (NLT)

6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Pray about everything. Every-thing. Meaning without exception. There is nothing I should fail to bring to You, Lord.

And, always thank You for what You have done.

Philippians 4:6 Expanded Bible (EXB)

6 Do not ·worry [be anxious] about anything, but pray and ·ask God for everything you need [or make your requests known to God], always giving thanks.

Expanded Bible (EXB)

The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.

Lord, teach me how to live this verse. Fully. Truly. Deeply. All the time. Without stopping. Help me make this verse the way I live... the way I choose to live my life. And, help me to actually do it and live it. 

Oh, how this is my heart's desire. Guide me, teach me, show me how, God.

Pray about everything... always giving thanks, Father, for what You have done. Everything. Always. Never stopping. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Multiple Versions or Translations

Meditating, pondering, applying, and prayer journaling the Word of God:

​1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 New Living Translation (NLT)

16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

~*~*~*~

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Expanded Bible (EXB)

16 Always ·be joyful [rejoice]. 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.

~*~*~*~

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

16 Rejoice always!
17 Pray constantly.
18 Give thanks in everything,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

~*~*~*~

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)

16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God's will in Christ Jesus that you do this.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group

~*~*~*~

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Living Bible (TLB)

16 Always be joyful. 17 Always keep on praying. 18 No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Living Bible (TLB)
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

~*~*~*~

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

~*~*~*~

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 New Century Version (NCV)

16 Always be joyful. 17 Pray continually, 18 and give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.
New Century Version (NCV)
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

~*~*~*~

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 The Message (MSG)

16-18 Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson


Blessings,
--Stacy Duplease
Email:
agodlyvision@gmail.com
rememberingyourpresent@gmail.com
Blogs:
http://alifeofthanks.blogspot.com
http://rypstories.blogspot.com
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablet

Bible verse of the day

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+thess+5%3A16-18&version=NLT

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 New Living Translation (NLT)
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Blessings,
--Stacy Duplease
Email:
agodlyvision@gmail.com
rememberingyourpresent@gmail.com
Blogs:
http://alifeofthanks.blogspot.com
http://rypstories.blogspot.com
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablet

​The truth of the journey

​The truth of the journey is this...

The truth is nothing in my life has turned out the way I hoped or expected.

Nothing has happened when I wanted it or in the way I wanted it.

I dream big dreams and they don't come true... haven't come true.

My schedule has never worked, nor has my planning.
Am I complaining or bemoaning? No. Not at all. I am stating fact.

Now, let me add this: Thank God.

Thank God none of this has happened. It has all been for the best. It has been according to His purpose and timing. To Him be all glory, honor, and praise.

Rather than get frustrated, freak out, feel anxious or have anxious thoughts, I am learning how Father God really does know best. His timing and plans are perfect, eternal, and far surpass mine. So, I go with the flow, try to not swim upstream, and try to allow God to have His way with me and my life. After all, hitting my head against the wall, throwing a temper tantrum, or feeling sad when things do not work out has never helped me or the situation.

This lesson has not come easy.

It's taken forty years of wrestling with God to get to this point and learn this lesson (and apply it).

I have learned I have no control, and frankly, do not want it. If I take the wheel, I make a mess of things and go the wrong way. I also fail to look around and enjoy the scenery and the moment.

This blog journal is my story and how I have gotten to this point, how I give thanks today, and want to count my blessings tomorrow. I want to be a blessings counter. This is how I want to live my life and enjoy wherever, whenever God leads.

I have learned that I need to do something so I keep myself from trying to take the wheel. Giving thanks and counting my blessings is what I do instead, and it has sure made things easier and far more enjoyable. After all, my life is not mine or about me. It is about Him. He allows me to live today for a reason. Counting my blessings is the key. The more I count, the more I see and hear God, and the sweeter of a journey He takes me.

Letting go and allowing God does not make for an easy journey, but is sure a blessed one, provided I look for the blessings and remember to count them. I try to take nothing and no one for granted.

A new blog

Welcome to my new blog, A LIFE OF THANKS.

It's a prayer journaling, spiritual memoir, blessings counted list, devotional, Christian Living blog. It's my journaling and my thoughts of faith in the world we live in today and how the Bible applies today.

A Life of Thanks is about counting my blessings, no matter what.

Blessings,

--Stacy Duplease

Email:
agodlyvision@gmail.com
rememberingyourpresent@gmail.com
Blogs:
http://alifeofthanks.blogspot.com
http://rypstories.blogspot.com
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablet