“One act of thanksgiving made when things go wrong is worth a thousand when things go well.”
~ John of the Cross
This week I have heard reports of thanksgiving when things have gone wrong.
~ A wife and a daughter who lost their husband/father to a heart attack giving comfort and living at peace with this hard providence…
~ A marriage splitting apart and one member growing closer to the Lord through this tearing…
~ A newborn baby discovered to be deaf – the mother thankful for sign language…
~ A woman in Zimbabwe who sees hope, and is thankful for the unexplainable provision of necessities…
But isn’t the key to being thankful when things go wrong building the habit of being thankful for the thousand things that go well?
Here is another quote from the best book I’ve read in 2008: Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry.
“You mustn’t wish for another life.
You mustn’t want to be somebody else.
What you must do is this:
“Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks.”
I am not all the way capable of so much,
but those are the right instructions.”
You mustn’t want to be somebody else.
What you must do is this:
“Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks.”
I am not all the way capable of so much,
but those are the right instructions.”
A Living Pencil 
A-men and a-men.Daily Quote on my sidebar today – from A W Tozer -seems fitting as well:There is more healing joy in five minutes of worship than there is in five nights of revelry.
This reminds me of when I had melanoma, and was at Kaiser w/ my friend, waiting to get more tests done. I was teary-eyed and asked my friend who was waiting w/ me why I couldn’t be like Job and thank God in this adversity. She smiled and said, “You’re just not there yet. You’ll get there.” And I have. I remember God giving me such peace during the most painful and scary parts of the whole ordeal, and have learned from the situation. Sometimes it just takes time and experience to get there.
Thank you for the good reminder on a day when I need it!!
This little reminder was a refreshing pause in my day. I’m thankful for your blog!
Carol, I´m still without internet and miss not being able to slowly read and respond to your blogs. (I´m always in a rush when I have access to someone else´s computer!) I look forward to being back to normal soon. Regarding your most recent blog: “You musn´t wish for another life.” My twin sister was born with brain damage and her upbringing was a difficult thing that the Lord used to make all of us more sensitive to His power, grace and love. My mom was a pastor´s wife and often heard about other people´s heartbreaks. I remember her saying once, “If everyone could put their troubles on the table and pick the one they wanted, I´d still take the one that the Lord gave me. He knows best.” Thank you for reminding me of that today.
I love the picture and the thoughts. Add this: I made a verbal error that opened a door of tentative conversation which may lead to finding the surprise that someone I love is born-again.
i was just talking to someone who has recovered from breast cancer–she had talked at a bible study i attended. What i said to her was, “i loved how you and your husband CHOSE at the beginning how you would view this event in your life, and allow God to use it. i’m afraid i’m a bit more of a whiner first.” But eventually i try to choose to get there. i have another friend who seriously dislikes housework–when i told her, “when i’m doing dishes or laundry, and feeling grouchy about it, i like to say thanks to God for my dishwasher, or washer and dryer. It helps.” She looked at me and said, “Oh, you’re one of those thankful people!” So, possibly i can learn in the small things to be thankful, and work my way to the bigger, one choice at a time.