Blessed and Don't Know It?

Do you ever feel like telling the whining, complaining, unappreciative people to make a line just outside of the gates of hell? Sometimes that's where I think people who possess such attitudes belong. I can't sit here and say that I'm totally complaint-free.

We all fall prey to a spirit of ingratitude from time to time but come on people- We Are Blessed.

I mean to live in America. To be able to read, write, reason- buy, sell, vote, worship, dream- the list goes on. You know, land of the free and home of the brave. Let me repeat myself, We Are Blessed. I feel like shouting it from the rooftops and letting it pour over the ingrates- WE ARE BLESSED!

To hear some people complain about such things as food, coffee, cell phone function, internet speed, flight delays and social fairness in general is a crock.

The apostle Paul said it well, "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you".

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward

One final note; The English word "blessedness" is derived from the root word for "blood" and suggests something set aside through sacrifice and in the Bible through Christ's sacrificial death for sins. Every aspect of the Christian life is embraced by blessedness with no credit assumed by the person experiencing it. It is purely God's grace.

Let's start a revolution of an "attitude of gratitude"!

Halftime-

So I'm on a walk this a.m. in a wonderful mid-morning rain and I start thinking about life and particularly my age and the "season" that I'm in. The theme of "halftime" flies across my mind. Let me try it out on you.

If you follow football like many red-blooded American men (and ladies) you know that every game of football, whether it's pop warner, high school, college or the pro's have this in common- they all observe a Halftime. Why? What purpose does it serve? I should also mention that other sports have half times as well- soccer, rugby, basketball. Halftime serves several purposes with the primary one not being giving Joe in section 32 the opportunity to get 3 foot longs and the beverage of his choice (can you guess?). True enough, it gives fans a chance to stretch, eat and get a little relief if you know what I mean.

The more critical thing to know here is that halftime serves a few key things.

1) it allows players to rest

2) it allows players to refresh

3) it allows teams to reset -

after expending energy the body must rest-even if it is for a short period

taking in good hydrating liquids or even small amounts of food is essential

coaches can make adjustments after review and implement change in the second half.

So there you have it. I'm sure that more reasons could be added but these three lay a good foundation.

Life is like that as well. Some of you reading this blog are experiencing your own "halftime".

You have played in a hard fought half- you may simply need some rest.

You need to experience the refreshing that the Lord Jesus says that He gives.

Listen to the voices of the coaches, mentors and of course the Holy Spirit in your life. Make the course corrections, the adjustments needed.

See if your second half doesn't turn out to be a great performance. Yes, there will still be opposition, penalties, injuries and the like- but stay in the game! He likes to pull for the underdog anyway.