Quite often Lord, when I sit down to write out my list of Blessings for the Thankful Thursday post, I have a difficult time putting them in writing. It’s not that I don’t feel Blessed of course, just that for some reason my mind goes “fuzzy”. When that happens, I replay the previous week’s events in my head, a day at a time, and when I reach something that makes me smile, I write it down.
What a wonderful exercise that’s turned out to be Father.
Forcing myself to go back, step-by-step, and taking special note of the Blessings You’ve graced me with over the past seven days makes me realize even more thoroughly how much You Love me. We allow so many of Your Gifts to slip by unnoticed, that the thought of “catching” some of them and giving thanks while they’re still fresh very much appeals to me.
And to that end Father God, this week I want to give special thanks and praise for:
106. Sixteen years of marriage to my wonderful wife Shannon.
119. No obvious significant issues found at Jonathan’s yearly checkup with his oncologist today. 🙂
120. A Heavenly Father that listens patiently to my prayers.
I have so much to give thanks for Lord…
Heavenly Father, thank You for all the Blessings you gift us with each day. Please open our eyes and our hearts to better recognize those moments around us that radiate Your Glory, and guide us to share those Blessings effectively with others. Amen.
Well Lord, yet another weekend has come and gone at the Malmstrom home. As seems to be our norm as of late, it was a somewhat hectic weekend but also one filled with fun, laughter, and the company of good friends. Your Presence was felt in abundance, and I thank You for Blessing us with these times of recreation and fellowship.
This week’s Meditations Monday verse is taken from Chapter 4 of Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians:
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV)
Wow… no pressure there Father. 😉
This a powerful, relevant verse Lord, and one all Your Children should take to heart more thoroughly. As the fragile, broken beings we are, we often allow our sinful natures to overshadow Your Desires for us. Feelings of inner conflict and malicious intent eat away at our souls, and obscure us from Your Voice. In this passage, Paul reminds us that You Blessed us with the perfect example of Divine Forgiveness. You set the bar, and guide us in our Walk to emulate that behavior in our dealings with one another.
And as we discussed on Friday’s post Father, You know our hearts, not just the persona we put on for others. “Surface forgiveness” isn’t what Your edict to us defines, but instead we’re to strive for true, transformational benevolence. It’s a steep climb to be sure, but one that leads us ever closer to Christ’s Footsteps and to Your Kingdom.
Heavenly Father, I thank You once again for Your consistent guiding Presence in my life. Please help me to cast off the chains of sinful emotions, and reach out to others in the nature of true forgiveness and compassion. Help me to make decisions that best glorify Your Will, and to bring Your Light to those around me. Amen.
Well Lord, once again we come to that day of the week where I compose my list of some things I’ve been thankful for over the past seven days; Thankful Thursday. It’s been a topsy-turvy week, but even in times of uncertainty and sadness, I still find so much to give thanks for. These posts have ended up being a Blessing to me Father, as each week I now take more special care to note all the “little” miracles in my life, instead of being consumed by the chaotic world around me and missing them. As I’ve said before, I am truly Blessed. 🙂
Anyways Father, on to the list! Some of the things I’ve been thankful for this week are:
91. Jonathan’s excitement in starting confirmation class at church.
92. Father’s Day dinner with my Dad.
93. The Holy Bible.
94. Facebook.
95. Fax Machines.
96. Seeing my children perform unprompted acts of kindness.
97. Twizzlers. (These should have a warning label about being addictive)
98. Neighbors who mow your lawn while you’re out. (Thank you Donna!)
99. A “Wall-E” toy robot of Aidan’s that he gave to me for my desk at work. (I smile every time I look at it)
100. Boston Crème Donuts.
101. Watching the blur of glow sticks flying around the back yard on Friday nights as the kids burn off steam.
102. The family of cardinals that’s taken up residence near our home.
103. Having a local Christian Bookstore with a good selection.
104. Teriyaki grilled salmon.
105. Feeling and recognizing Your Presence in my life.
And so much more…
Heavenly Father, I lift my heart in praise for all of the Blessings You bring to our lives each day. You are truly a compassionate and caring Shepherd, and I rejoice in the love You show to Your flock. Please help us see through the veil of our mortal shells, and relish the joy that Your Divine Presence brings to us all. Amen.
And once again Lord, we stand at the conclusion to yet another work-week. The weekend ahead is poised to be a busy one, but one where much of our time will be spent in the company of good friends and family, so I’m very much looking forward to it. You’ve Blessed us immeasurably through the souls You’ve brought into our lives, and we relish these times with them.
On my way in to work this morning, I was listening to the local Contemporary Christian radio station when a song came on that I hadn’t heard before. As the music played I found myself inspired by the lyrics, so when I reached the office I spent some time researching the song’s origins. As it turns out, although I hadn’t heard it before the song was part of an album released in 2005 by Paul Colman called “Let it Go”, and is entitled “The One Thing”.
What a great song.
But the one thing I don’t question is You
You really love me like You say You do
We question so many things in our lives Lord, but as long as we cling firmly to the knowledge that You love us unconditionally, all those other concerns pale in importance. 🙂
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the Blessings You’ve bestowed on us this past week. Please continue to guide our motivations and actions to best glorify Your Will, and stir us to act as Your Hands and Feet so that all those around us can’t help but see Your Love. Amen.
As I’ve mentioned before Lord, I’ve become quite fond of the Thankful Thursday post each week. It serves as a wonderful look back and inspection of the prior week’s events, and helps me to truly focus on and appreciate Your Wondrous Gifts more thoroughly. Spotlighting those simple joys in life that often go by unnoticed has proved to be inspiring, and humbling at the same time. And each week, after carefully compiling my list I come to the same undeniable conclusion…
I am truly Blessed. 🙂
And therefore Father, without further ado, here’s this week’s Thankful Thursday list:
90. The cool, fresh breeze following a summer thunderstorm.
Heavenly Father, You Bless us all with so many things each day that this list could go on and on. For all those Divine Gifts that we recognize, and for those that grace us quietly in silence, I give You thanks and praise. Amen.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day. 
