Being Thankful

[tis2flyyy]

.........This past Sunday, I attended a church service.
One thing happened there, that I want to share with all of you.

It is customary practice at this church for the pastor to make what they refer to as "alter call". That is when people who are in need of prayer come forward from their pews and assemble in front of the alter and a prayer is said. This is symbolic for "lying your burdens at the cross".

But this particular Sunday, the pastor did something totally different. He asked that everyone stay standing/seated where they were. To reach out and join hands, bow their heads and share a moment of silence.......to reflect...while being joined with one another...praying in your own heart, in your own mind - being thankful to the God that you believe in.

So, I did this. I have to tell you. I had a profound experience. Islam teaches that we do not need a go-between to go to God in prayer on our behalf. That we have the right to do so directly, ourselves. I have been doing this all of my life.

But the experience that I had, joining hand with these faithful people - was a very powerful experience.

It made me reach inside of myself. Take a HARD look at my life....at myself. Even though I pray everyday, I found that I was saying thanks for things that I normally take for granted.

Like......breathing. Like......hearing. Like.......seeing and having all of my senses. I am always thankful for these things - but after most recently experiencing an issue - I am extra thankful this day.

I am always thankful for my Mom....but I was really thankful this day. So many of my friends parents have gone on. I am very blessed, I still have mines to shower love upon. Somedays, I might not call home and speak to my parents every single day...I take for granted that they will be there when I call. Not anymore. I am calling home EVERYDAY - damn the phone bill. You can not put no cost on the love of your Mom and Dad.

I was giving thanks for ALL OF MY PROBLEMS, trials, etc. Because I realized, that if I never experienced any problems, I simply would not fully appreciate the joy of a peaceful, non-problematic life.

I was thankful for LIFE, period. I mean REALLY thankful. Where my office is, there is a cemetary right there next door. When I find myself really stressed out with the work BS....I look over there and I think to myslef...those people are never going to work again. So.....it could be worse. As long as you are ALIVE - you can effect change - make some real things happen. THIS keeps me moving on, even when I do not want to.

I always say THANK YOU for my son and ask for his blessings and protection. But on this day, I was very thankful. This kid of mines, he is just a solid, GOOD and kind hearted person. He was born that way. We did nothing special to make him this way. He is well liked and he tries to do his best. I am proud of him. Even though I harp on him and tell him to do better all of the time - I must say, I am very thankful this boy is my son. I thought about - what if things were different? He could have been born with a defect or with a developmental disability. He could have had a very bad disposition and caused me much grief, he could have grown up to be a non-contributor to society, hell, he could have gotten in with the wrong crowd and used drugs, have several babies, have a jail record and could have become a gang banger. But he is not and he has none of these things. Like I say, he is just a good and honest person and for that, I am very thankful.

I am thankful for LOVE. There are many types of love. I love my parents, my son, my siblings, my boyfriend, my cats and a whole bunch of people. But I am thankful for the emotion we know as LOVE. It makes you feel good to give love and to have love in return. When you know for certain, that there is someone, in this world that genuinely cares about you and your well being - that really feels good. I like that feeling.

So, on this day and everyday forward....I thank GOD for Life, for my Family, for LOVE and for Blessing me - with freedom, and all the good things that are in my life. Those were the things that came into my mind on this day and was most important, to me.

There is so much bad going on in the world - new born babies being left in trash bins to die, new diseases they can not cure, our country is at war, inflation is imminent, terrorist are on the loose, youngsters are dying for a fight that is not their own, families are being torn apart, quality of education is horrendous, greed, hatred, jealousy, poverty - all the bad stuff - is more prevelant than ever. You can't eat chicken, you can't eat cows, you can not even eat the fish - for it all has something wrong with it and may kill you. I can go on and on and on.....and I am certain that you can too.

But for just a moment, for a brief second....take a moment and be thankful for the good things in your life.



Dear post members, take a moment to reflect and express your thanks - in whatever way that you know how. Even, if you do not believe in God, Allah, Jehovah, whomever - fine. Just express your thanks and reflect on the things that you have and be thankful. It will do your heart some good. It did mines.

*T*

PS....nope, I did not go and get all religious-fied over the weekend. I am still crazy as ever....but it is just that there is so much to be thakful for. I wanted to be able to say something, to anyone who would listen, to remind them of that. It felt good for me to be reminded of it, so I am sharing it with you. That is all. Also, I am THANKFUL for this site. For I would not be able to leave this post on the www to be seen by many. So, Thanks Richard and Jennifer.

[bcddjjsc690]

tis2flyyy,

I'm thankful there are people like you ....

[tis2flyyy]

bcddjjsc690,
Now, that is the most precious thing that has been said to me all year. Thanks, my friend.

[koda]

tis2flyyy,
What a truly beautiful post....I'm a Christian and I, too, am reminded in sometimes unusual ways, how really blessed I am... even tho sometimes I'm sitting around bitching about crap...Then it dawns on me in a moment of insight, or a feeling of compassion for another,or a shared prayer with a special person how grateful I am for God's blessings. I know that I couldn't get thru all the trials & tribulations without God's help. You really hit the nail on the head and said it so eloquently!

[Momof5]

bcddjjsc690,

I think that the brown stuff on your nose blends in... :p

Just trying to get my funny back.. don't hate me.

[tis2flyyy]

koda,

[bcddjjsc690]

Momof5,

And I'm thankful there are people like you toooooooooooooooo

[Momof5]

bcddjjsc690,


you too left ya a message on myspace..

[bcddjjsc690]

Momof5,

you know I'm really only 14 .....

[Momof5]

bcddjjsc690,

hmmm.. interesting what is dateline somewhere? better hide my identity .. There we go.... they will never recognize me :p