The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Saturday, 02 July 2016 - "Gratitude"

The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Saturday, 02 July 2016 - "Gratitude"
Daily Scripture: Colossians 3:15 and let the shalom which comes from the Messiah be your heart’s decision-maker, for this is why you were called to be part of a single Body.

And be thankful — 16 let the Word of the Messiah, in all its richness, live in you, as you teach and counsel each other in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude to God in your hearts. 17 That is, everything you do or say, do in the name of the Lord Yeshua, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Reflection Questions:
“A dog is grateful for what is, which I am finding to be the soundest kind of wisdom and very good theology.”[Carrie Newcomer (Singer; Songwriter; Author)]
One reason so many of us love dogs so much is their ability to be happy and grateful for every treat, every bit of attention. We live in a culture that much of the time seeks to drive us toward ingratitude instead. Our cars and appliances are too old, our hair is too thin or the wrong color, our vacation lodgings are only four-star rated, and the operating system on our cell phone is two versions behind. Upgrade it all, we hear. And why? “You deserve it!” There’s nothing wrong with buying nice things, as long as we’re financially responsible when we do it. But God has called us to cultivate a spirit of gratitude more like that of our dogs, a spirit of gratitude at all times.

• How many times, in these three verses, did Paul mention the importance of gratitude? Where is your heart on a “gratitude meter” as you face this day? What inner choices can you make that would move you higher on the scale today? Verse 17 took in a lot of ground: “Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him.” In this next week, how can you “give thanks to God the Father” as you work, shop, drive the freeway, react to the news or cheer for the Royals or your kid’s soccer team?

Today’s Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me to see reasons to say “thank you” no matter what comes my way today. Let your peace more and more control my heart and my words. Amen.
Family Activity:
God shows His love to us through His creation and we can show love to God by taking care of His creatures! Choose an animal shelter where your family could donate items or volunteer. (Great Plains SCPA or Wayside Waifs are excellent options.) If you decide to donate items, consider collecting toys, food, blankets and towels for the animals. If you decide to volunteer, check on either website for their process on how to do so. If you have a dog or other pet at home, encourage every family to help care for him or her and make sure to give your pet lots of love! Pray and thank God for God’s creatures and the love they give us!
-------Insights from Rev. Penny Ellwood

Rev. Penny Ellwood is the Campus Pastor at Resurrection Blue Springs.
I have learned so much about gratitude with our granddaughter Lula. Lula turned two years old last week. Her journey has been so different than what we expected. Shortly after she was born, we learned that Lula had some pretty severe brain abnormalities. We don’t know exactly why and probably never will. We were told by her doctors that Lula may never be able to walk or talk or do the things that normal children do, although we hope, pray and strive for all these things.
Since we don’t know what she’ll be able to accomplish, we have learned to celebrate and take joy in every little achievement she makes. We celebrate the things you would take for granted in a normal child. The surprising thing we have found in the process is that when you begin to celebrate the ordinary everyday achievements of life, something extraordinary happens: Life becomes richer. Your heart becomes fuller. Inner doubts fade. Joy and smiles come more frequently. You learn to see and appreciate the simple joys of life. Maybe this is why I treasure the time I get to spend with my granddaughter.
I have tried to carry this knowledge to other parts of my life, to “sing to God with gratitude in my heart” as Paul instructs. Life often hands us situations that are different than we expected and harder than we hoped for. If, like our dogs, we learn to be grateful for what is, the world opens up in ways we never expected.
Author Glennan Doyle Melton, who writes on the power of embracing your messy beautiful life, says that “Life is brutal, but it’s also beautiful.” Brutiful is the word she uses. She says, “You have to look hard for the beauty. Try to drown out the voice of fear, which makes us run away from pain, and listen instead to your love voice,” which she calls God. This voice, she says, will guide you right into the brutiful unexpected events of our lives, but it will also help you to discover the hidden treasures there. I have found her words to be true.
We don’t know exactly what life will bring. If we chose to embrace the unexpected and listen to our love voice, we will discover a treasure trove we never expected.

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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue

Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States

913.897.0120
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