Thanksgiving is a way of life, connected to love, joy, and peace.

Philippians 4:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

For the purposes of this article, I would like to concentrate on verse eight. What do we think about, meditate on, and fill our minds with? In short, both Paul in this passage and Holy Scripture in general encourage us that a person who is “a new creation” in Jesus Christ, learns to focus on those things which lead to hope and joy. The mind given over to selfishness, entitlement, and continual negativity will almost undoubtedly have their focus elsewhere.

If we have learned to “play the victim”, constantly allow our obsessing to dominate our existence, and ignore the honorable, pure, and good around us, we should expect to be anxious, unhappy, and selfish. But, if we learn to discipline our minds, turn off the news, stop obsessing about things we cannot control, and meditate on A. God’s beauty, B. Our blessings, and C. God’s life-giving and divine revelation (Holy Scripture), then, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can practice and grow to be people who live with gratitude every day of the year.

Fr. Tom

Upcoming Schedule

Worship

Adult Christian Ed Class Sunday, 9 AM. No class on Nov 19th.

No Sunday School for children Nov 19th.

Choir Meet/Practice
Wednesdays, 4:30 PM, in the choir/organ loft