Giving Happy Thanks

        I decided to take a short trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan for Thanksgiving: I haven’t seen my family in a while and I wanted to see my mother as well as my nieces and nephews. I drove 8 hours from Lexington, Kentucky. It was a pleasant drive with singing, praying, and enduring constant rain—it, literally, did rain constantly since I started my adventure. I drove through three states (Kentucky, Indiana, and Michigan); this was my first 8 hour drive I had ever done. It’s a real confidence builder. God has been very gracious to me to be able to do this in order to see family in Michigan. I am thankful for the opportunity and thankful for God’s protection and guidance on my way to my former dwelling place. Thank you, O Lord God.

        Its thanksgiving—shouldn’t I be thankful to God? Well, I am. God gave me a computer to use, a car to drive with insurance, a job, food, Ale8 : ), and more. Why should I not be thankful? I live in one of the most blessed countries on the earth. And now, it’s that time for me as an American to stop and think about what I am thankful for. God has richly blessed this nation: not because the nation deserves the blessings, but because He is good and faithful to His promises. I know some of you might be thinking: “Promises? What promises? It was the Indians who gave the Pilgrims food, and not God.” Maybe… I am not entirely sure about the origins of Thanksgiving. But, I do know that Thanksgiving was an American National Holiday based on biblical principles. You know: giving and thanks.

        I love both concepts because they’re godly ideas that focus outside the self. To give to someone else freely is to never think of getting anything in return. To thank someone with a sincere, honest heart is also giving to someone else without expecting anything in return. If someone thanks you for something or someone gives you something, let the love in with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the one time of the year for Americans to think about being selfless. I do believe that being selfless should be a daily attitude of life. However, I am very grateful for the original intent of the holiday: to give thanks to God. So, please don’t forget to give your sincerest, most honest thanks to God. God deserves all of our richest gifts, thanks, and praise for the blessings He freely gives us.

That Look In Your Eyes

        I thought it fitting to begin my journey, with this blog, with an explanation for the name of it. The phrase “That look in your eyes” was from a line in a song called “Remember Me” by Kutless. It was the first line in their song, and I felt compelled to use it. The line, and the song itself, reminded me of the Apostle Peter. Peter was a very courageous, strong personality type, but often got himself into things without actually thinking them through. One example of that was when he walked on water. At first, his focus was on Christ, but when he started to doubt and turned to see the storm, he began to sink. He cried to Jesus wanting Him to save him, which He faithfully did, but said, “Why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:22-33). It makes you wonder about Peter as a disciple: how much did he value Jesus Christ at the time?

        There were, and going to be, times when I doubt and focus on the storm instead of on God. It’s hard to focus on God when the storm rages around you. But, how much value do I place on God? Is God the most important thing in my life? Do I just half-heartedly agree to His commands and go on with my daily life? I hope you honestly ask yourself these questions too. I cannot say that Peter did not value God with all of his being because he wouldn’t have been an apostle of Christ to the circumcised if he didn’t. However, Peter didn’t really know his own worth until the night that Jesus was taken before the High Priest, and Peter was outside warming himself (Luke 22:54-62).

        Yes, if you know the story, Peter did deny Jesus three times, but there’s something that you may not know. When the cock crowed after the third denial, Jesus turned and looked at Peter (Luke 22:61). Can you imagine the fire in the eyes of Him? He wasn’t angry or disappointed at Peter. Jesus was giving everything He got into what He was doing, and He found time to turn around and look at Peter with all the passion and determination of a hero. The eyes of Jesus must have told Peter: “I love you; I value you. You knew this would happen, and you denied me three times anyways.” I can see why Peter wept bitterly: he saw the passion and determination that he wanted but was never able to give. I’m sure Peter would put all of his being into valuing and loving God after that look. He did.

        So, what does all that have to do with this blog? Simple: I place great value on God and my readers, and I don’t want to waste your time, and His : ), on content that’s meaningless or unloving. That is what this blog is about. My hope is that God would inspire and influence the reader to take the jewels of truth from the blog, and use them in your daily lives. I also hope that the readers would see the love of God through the words I give.