Take a minute to share with someone one thing for which you are thankful. Encourage them as they go through the day. Here is one experience in which I can always find reason to be thankful:
I smiled when I first saw the picture that is pasted above. So much of the exquisite beauty of nature can be seen if we would only take the time to discover it.
Some years ago while in Philadelphia, I observed many people who were excitedly pointing at a lovely rainbow in the sky. It was rare that the merging shades of such a colorful rainbow would be seen splashed across the naked sky. Violet, blue, green, orange, red and shades of yellow were splendidly curved into a bow that seemed to come down and gently touch the earth at the horizon. That rainbow made the evening’s newscast on prime TV. But, what have we missed as we went along our duties today? What did we not see? What didn’t we hear? Whom did we not converse with? What did we miss that we cannot give thanks for, because it came and went without us being aware of it ?
As I thought about these questions, I clicked on the weather report and discovered that a major winter storm bringing ice, is due to hit the area where I live sometime tonight. That triggered a memory of an something that I can give thanks for … that is, safety on the highway.
Some years ago, while taking a friend to the Indianapolis airport, the car that I was driving skidded on black ice. It spun around a few times before heading toward a metal divider in the middle of the up and down lanes of the highway. I heard myself saying, ”Oh no! I am not going to die! Lord, you promised me …! ” Immediately, and I mean immediately, it was as if invisible hands took control of the car, turned the steering wheel so that instead of hitting the metal rail, the car now sped in the grass, traveling alongside the metal rail instead of hitting it. As soon as that portion of railing came to an end, the car turned left, went down the incline before coming up on the other side of the highway, facing oncoming traffic.
I saw a police officer get out of his vehicle and stop the oncoming traffic, while the car that I was in continued spinning around and around like a ferris wheel. It then turned right, went down into the median once more where it came to a very abrupt halt.
When the police officer approached us he commented that he was at the right place at the right time, and that he was able to see us ‘dance’ all over the up and down lanes of the highway.
Since we had not hit anything, he asked me to start the car. I tried but it refused to start.
“Hm… That’s strange. You did not hit anything.” he said. “Pop the ‘hood” (‘bonnet’ for those in England).” To his surprise he saw what could not logically be explained. All the way across the hump on the hood (bonnet) of the car was what seemed to be a large, deliberate dent placed there by a very solid and strong object.“But, where did that come from?” he asked. “And it looks as if it was just done!” He continued, “I looked at you guys ‘dance’ all over the highway and you did not hit anything!”
Then very clearly I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit say, “That dent is where the Angel of the Lord hit the car with the side of the palm of his hand to stop it.”
I was so thankful then as I am right now for that divine intervention that saved my life. You see, the police officer did not know that the evening before, it had been revealed by the Holy Spirit what would happen. The scripture that had been impressed on me to read was Acts Chapter 27. (Acts is a book found in the Bible, and Paul is an important teacher and believer of Jesus, who had became involved in a shipwreck). Even as my roommates and I shared that evening, we believed, knew, and accepted from the scripture in the Bible that our lives would be spared, although the vehicle would be destroyed. And that is what happened.
I have much to be thankful for, and today I thank God, who calls himself “I AM”, the God who came to our dirty, yet beautiful planet earth by breathing the breath of his spirit into a human so that the child that was born, Jesus the Christ (Messiah), would teach us more of who this loving God is. And as I look at the beauty of nature seen in the picture above, I am thankful not only for it, but also for having my life as well as that of a friend, spared. Thank You Lord!
If you do not have a Bible, read Paul’s shipwreck story by clicking on this link: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2027;&version=46;
As I gaze on the beauty and picture of serenity that emanates from the above picture, I am compelled to reflect that beauty and serenity have deeper depths and meaning to get me through the ‘trouble spots’ in my life. ‘I AM’, I am not alone, as I sit at the water’s edge and ponder about life, decisions, what next? who am I? where am I going? who cares? – I feel strangely warm inside that there is hope in the ‘real world’ that the picture represents – there is hope in Thanksgiving. I am thankful for YOU who have taken ‘time out’ to share my thoughts. Have a great day.
Rosalie
By: Rosalie on February 1, 2008
at 10:13 am