Monday, November 2, 2009

come celebrate with me...

So... we are entering the month of November. And... when I think of November, I think of cool air, colorful leaves, and Thanksgiving. I have had a desire for the past couple months to celebrate this holiday season very intentionally beginning in the month of November. I have a few thoughts driving me about this season of thankfulness and gratitude.

1. I have a yearning to live life fully, to be joyful in all things, to love deeply, and to walk authentically. I might not do a great job but I realize that I am on a journey of learning... and eventually, I will achieve a life of simple abundance.
2. Within each of us, we have a longing to be joyful. In the book Simple Abundance, the author says that there are "six threads of abundant living which, when woven together, produce a tapestry of contentment that wraps us in inner peace, well-being, happiness, and a sense of security.
3. This journey begins with gratitude.... which is what the Thanksgiving season is all about. Gratitude leads to simplicity (learning to value what is truly important and weeding away all excess). Simplicity leads to order which lends itself to harmony. Harmony gives us the ability to appreciate the beauty in that which daily surrounds us. And... beauty leads us to joy.

Let us celebrate this season well... for in it, I believe we will find true joy.
This holiday journey begins with gratitude... being grateful for all that God has given us, including and especially Himself. Therefore, I propose that each week we meditate on a characteristic of our God being grateful that He is father, servant, provider, master, king, creator, etc. to us. May we apply and learn to incorporate the disciplines of prayer, meditation, silence, celebration, and Scripture reading.

Along with this, I encourage you to think about what is really important in life... if anything stands in your way of focusing on that which matters, I hope that you would simplify and move closer to our goal of living full, intentional, joyful lives.

THIS WEEK: God as our Satisfier... or our Portion.
Here are some verses that might be helpful. As you read and pray this week, I encourage you to share with us via email other verses or thoughts.
Lamentations 3 (you have to read the WHOLE chapter to get the beauty of God as our portion...)
Psalm 16
Psalm 37
Psalm 103

Share... be grateful... live intentionally.

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