Attitude of Gratitude in an Economic Crisis

President Obama's State of the Union speech last night was phenominal! After listening to that speech if you were not inspired and grateful to live the USA somethin is wrong with you. We live in the greatest place on earth. The United States of America!

After listening for months to the doom and gloom rhetoric coming from the media we have taken our eyes off the ball. We are Americans! We live in a country founded on the principals of God. There is nothing we can't do or overcome. We have always rebounded and regrouped. This country has been abundantly blessed and will continue to be so. We need to stop being so fearful and thank God for the things we still have.

Even with the harsh economic news - jobless rates up and the stock market down - we can still find a lot to be grateful about.

Why, then, is it so difficult to say thanks? We are often focused on ourselves - Galileo may have proved that the earth revolved around the sun but most of us secretly believe that the world itself revolves around us. It is sometimes hard to pull out of that orbit and become more aware of the contributions of others. And we all tend to take good things for granted. Humans instinctively pay more attention to threats to their safety than they do to situations of security and pleasure. We are less likely to notice supportive behaviors, so positive acts are often ignored.

Other times we think that, by recognizing family members for their generosity, they are less likely to notice what they could appreciate about us. Actually, expressing gratitude leads to positive effects for both the sender and the receiver. But any change in behavior is difficult - and establishing life-long habits takes conscious repetitions. It may be hard to make the commitment to building this new skill, but it is well worth the effort.

Expressing gratitude not only makes others feel better, it also benefits you and your mood. When you focus on what you are grateful for you gain a wide range of benefits. These include sounder sleep, enhanced self-esteem, increased levels of contentment and improved connections with the world around you. Not a bad outcome - especially for a Sandwiched Boomer caught in the midst of parents growing older and children growing up. According to Willie Nelson, "When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around."

You need to become aware yourself of what you are thankful for before you can begin to acknowledge the part others play. Here are some steps to help you get started:

1. Begin to consciously notice what brings you joy. Awareness is the first step toward creating change. Set aside time to participate in the process of experiencing and acknowledging your gratitude.

2. Count your blessings . Each evening, note three things that happened during the day for which you are thankful. Be specific as you describe what happened to you. It could be a loving conversation with your partner, a hug from your teenage son, a lunch date with your mother.

3. Re-live and savor each of these events. Spend time re-creating in your mind the happiness of the experience. You will feel your body becoming more relaxed, your emotions more positive and your thoughts more focused. The joys of life are not only in present activities but also in remembering pleasurable occasions.

4. Think about what you did to open yourself to these moments. Then decide to direct your actions to include more of these delights in your life. Recognizing your own personal power will strengthen your belief in yourself as well as your willingness to consider the part others play in your happiness.

5. Realize why this piece of good fortune came your way. It will help you identify the people you're grateful to have in your life. You can then thank them for playing a part in improving your world.

Deciding to focus on giving thanks means a whole new mindset. As Albert Schweitzer put it, "To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude." When you follow these steps you can act on the gratitude you experience and live a rich life no matter what the economic environment.

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Can You Bless Me Please?

One of the things we do not do that is vital to our well being and the well being of others is to speak blessings over other's lives. We are to Bless and not Curse. We Curse our own lives and the lives of those we come in contact with by the words of our mouths. On the other hand we also Bless others and our selves with same mouth.

A lot of us are not aware that we are doing so, becuse we take words so lightly. Anything you say that is negative ends up being a curse. We need to be deligent to watch what we say.

The Power of Words: Guard Yours! The New Testament is rich with examples of Jesus speaking with power?and things changing because of His words. Then He gives us a stunning bit of information about our words:

Matt 12:36-37 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

Jesus is making the point that words are so much more powerful that we have ever realized. They are a power source that has almost been overlooked.

I read where Neuroscience is beginning to come up with explanations of why this is true! As we look at this, you and I, we start waking! What you and I have been saying is actually shaping our worlds.

We are given the opportunity and privilege to speak out words of power and life in the Spirit of Prayer?. To speak out words that originated in the heart of God and carry his life-force in them. To speak light into the darkness, to speak order in the chaos.

Ps 33:6 By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made and all their host by the breath of his mouth. (Ampl)

Heb 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the Word of God so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible. (Ampl)

We have the opportunity, as God did in the beginning. The world awaits our stepping up to the plate. Therefore my brothers and sisters I thank my God for this opportunity to bless you;
Dear One, listen with your spirit to Colossians 1:12-13 "?giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of Light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves?"
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I bless you with sharing in and with a family of faith who lives in the light. I bless your spirits with being flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future He has promised you.

I bless you with knowing your dominion over all the power of darkness. I bless you with the eyes of your heart being enlightened to know your Father's incredibly great power for you, the same working of His mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms.

I bless you with knowing with certainty that He is far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given in this present age. Dear friends, you are blessed that God has put all things under the authority of Christ and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church., which is His body. You are blessed in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, Yeshua Ha Machiah, who fills everything everywhere with His presence. Amen.

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2007 Candace House, All Rights reserved. Email candace@ruachchayah.org for permission to use.

Sleeping In Peace

This morning I was looking at a movie on lifetime. The girl in the movie was having nightmares. Circumstances dictated she had a good reason to be afraid. Someone was stalking her. Fear had completely taken over her life and the life of her family members. It affected every area of their lives.

I thought about David in the scriptures being stalked by King Saul. Saul was trying to kill him as well. In the movie the girl was depending on the court system to protect her and they were failing miserably. However David called out to God and knew where his help came from. His sole trust was in Him.

For those that are troubled for whatever reason and are vexed in your spirit, try doing what David did. Give God a try and He will give you peace that passeth all understanding. What is this kind of peace? It is peace that comes from knowing YOU don't have to take care of the situation. It is already taken care of by Him. So no matter what it looks like, you know that HE is in control.

Psalms 4:8 " I will lay down in peace and sleep; For you alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety."

Dear Ones, you are under the protection of God who can do the impossible. I bless you with peace that comes from God who created light in great darkness, who brings light into the very shadow of death.

I bless you with knowing that God makes peace regardless of your circumstances. I bless you with knowing you can walk in the light because God decrees that the light of His presence shines in darkness.

I bless each of you my friends, with not being dependent on circumstances in your world, but receiving from your Father the peace that He offers in your life, no matter how dark it is around you. I bless you with peace that can only come because the Prince of Peace rules you.

I bless you with an anointing for taking the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ to those who do not know it, as an overflow of your life. When you walk in this peace, the peace of those around you will increase, although they carry turmoil.

I bless you with being known as someone who carries the peace of God with you everywhere you go, so that people will seek you out because they are so desperate for the Shalom of God.

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2007 Candace House, All Rights reserved. Email candace@ruachchayah.org for permission to use.