Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10

God's will for us is to rejoice, pray and give thanks. In everything. About everything. So since we have a day set aside just for Thanksgiving, what are TEN things you've never thanked God for? (At least until today!) Here are mine.

1. My alarm clock. I have the privilege of being able to determine when I get up. Sure, I have a schedule (I've already thanked God for that one) but it's largely one of my making. 

2. My running shoes. I can run without pain.

3. My desk light. I don't have to wait for the sun to come up to work, and I can work in the evenings, too. 

4. Toothpaste. How many people in the world don't even have a toothbrush, much less toothpaste?

5. Color. God could have made everything gray, but He didn't.

6. People who let me put them on my speed dial. (I've been very thankful for them many times, but never as this unique group.)

7. My Facebook friends. It's a blessing keeping up with everybody.

8. Getting to teach. At church and at home. I enjoy it more than my student(s).

9. My glasses. Even if they are bifocals. 

10. Having folks read what I write. That's you.

These may seem silly or inconsequential, but God blesses us every day with a multitude of favors. In the midst of all the big stuff He does for us like granting us salvation, life, and family, He fills in the little tiny spaces of our lives with little reminders of His grace. Rejoice!

Last on our menu of Biblical writing is prayer and praise. However, rather than take these together in one giant post, let's look at them separately.

Prayers recorded in Scripture aren't much different from those we pray ourselves. Look for God's name and then the requests usually follow with the verbs leading the way.

• "Our Father in heaven … give us this day our daily bread, … forgive us … do not lead us into temptation …" Matthew 6:9-13
• "O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay." Daniel 9:19
• "Now Lord, look on their threats and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word." Acts 4:29

Sometimes that order is reversed, with the request coming first.

• "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me and I shall be saved, for You are my praise." Jeremiah 17:14
• "Remember me, O my God, for good." Nehemiah 13:30
• "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties." Psalm 139:23

Some other prayer markers to watch for are the words "may" and "let".

• "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
• "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Which Biblical prayers mean the most to you?

Door, Tinker, Jingle.  We played TriBond last night. The object is to figure out what each threesome has in common. Midway thru the game, it was Alan’s turn, and this was his question. He went totally blank. We tried everything to help him figure out the answer, short of telling him. Nothing worked. Finally we were working through it one last time, “Door…, Tinker… Jingle… ?” Rachel raised her head and said “Bells.”  Jingle Bells is now the new synonym for ‘Duh!’ in our house.

And that’s how it is with the problems and questions we face. Sometimes the answers just won’t come. Sometimes the question doesn’t even make sense. No matter how we reframe things or cycle through the possibilities, nothing clicks.

Thankfully God surrounds us with brothers and sisters to give us perspective, wisdom and consolation when we can’t come up with an answer. I did a post recently on what to look for when seeking good counsel. Additionally, many instructions about how to function as the body of Christ have to deal with how we help, respond to and uplift our fellow believers.

Half the battle is simply making ourselves available and a willingness to get involved. Therefore, comfort [or encourage] each other and edify [build up] one another, just as you also are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Who knows? You may have the very answer someone is looking for. Jingle Bells.