A Grateful Thanksgiving

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And 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." Colossians 3:15-17 NIV Thanksgiving is upon us & as always, I'm trying to remember to be thankful in all and for all things. My life certainly hasn't turned out the way I had planned, but I know GOD has blessed and will continue to bless me--often in spite of myself. Sometimes, this happy-go-lucky, laid-back & easy-going guy can be a real grumpy Gus. Sometimes, the problems of life are self-inflicted & sometimes, the choices or actions of others cause or at least contribute to my frustrations. Still, I know that my GOD can make a message from a mess & turn tragedy into triumph and He does so on a daily basis. So, who am I to doubt Him? Hasn't He promised never to leave or forsake me? I find it so easy to allow negativity to overcome me and whine about all the things I see myself as lacking instead of being thankful for the many good things in my life. Fact is, I am undeserving of anything good. I allowed the god of this world to have & use me for many years & had I died while I was living that lifestyle--I would have busted Hell wide open. However, GOD had a plan for my life & a plan to turn all the negatives into positives so I would be in a place to minister to others living destructive lifestyles. He has blessed me with a great family. He allowed me to share part of my life with an amazing and godly woman, who is now enjoying the eternal life with GOD that we all long for. He has blessed me with some wonderful friends & allowed me to enjoy many adventures & experiences that a lot of people miss out on. Most of all, He has loved me, cared for me and protected me when I didn't deserve it. So, as we gather with family & friends today to enjoy our Thanksgiving meal, let us remember to be truly thankful for all GOD has done and for the multitude of blessings He allows us to enjoy in this life. Be thankful--that is my goal, today & always. How about you...? Blessings! Tony