Does Thankfulness Rule?

When I am able to spend several days in the Fall at a friend's lake house in east Texas, I find that it is much easier to let "thankfulness rule!" That is a time when I'm away from many of the worries of daily life. As I am able to watch thousands of gold and red and yellow leaves being blown from the trees, it feels as if God's Presence and love are touching the earth. I still remember a sermon by one of the pastors at my church when she said, "Every time you see a leaf fall or a flower in bloom, it is simply a way that God is saying "I love you!" What a glorious way for thankfulness to flourish!

Now that I'm home again, daily stresses quickly return! What a blessing to be reminded that even in these events, I CAN be thankful. It is only through doing so that I will be able to "see more and more of God's riches!"

As I sit quietly before my Lord, I am repeating today's scripture from Colossians 3:15: "Let the peace of Christ rule in my heart ...and be thankful."  I pray that through God's most amazing grace that you and I will let thankfulness rule in our lives.