Thanksgiving 2012

1 Pet 6-9
⁶ You now rejoice in this hope, even if it’s necessary for you to be distressed for a short time by various trials. ⁷ This is necessary so that your faith may be found genuine. (Your faith is more valuable than gold, which will be destroyed even though it is itself tested by fire.) Your genuine faith will result in praise, glory, and honor for you when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸ Although you’ve never seen him, you love him. Even though you don’t see him now, you trust him and so rejoice with a glorious joy that is too much for words. ⁹ You are receiving the goal of your faith: your salvation.

This is what I am truly thankful for.  The working out of my salvation tested and approved by my victory over my own sin in the many trials I face.  The moments where I would have chosen an angry or self seeking response and the power of God through His grace has acted through me.  That my time in obedience to be in the word and pray has transformed my actions.  Not that I can boast for it is truly Christ in me that is taking over little by little as I surrender to Him.  If  I am to boast in anything it is in my knowledge of my weakness and utter helplessness to change my circumstances and my knee jerk destruction ways.  Praise God for this revelation for I am finding victory in areas that I never thought possible.  God is transforming my tongue.  Causing me to be slow to speak.  Some times I think I am being gagged by the Holy Spirit but I am choosing to submit to being held silent.

I want to shout this amazing grace of God from the hill tops for I know many Christians that are held captive by their own short comings.  I am far from perfect and their are many areas that I have yet to find victory over but their is hope.  If God can take me this far in just a few years of being fully submitted to hear his voice, read his word and pray continually then I stand on his word that a full victory over my sinful nature and circumstances can be achieved.  Maybe not in this lifetime but I will see and experience myself as completely set free from the effects of  in heaven.

Why do I consider it pure joy to endure trials and submit my will and my time to the Father?  Because God is truly amazing.  A light brighter than any other.  To be in His presence is an oasis from my circumstances.  It is the one time in my day that I need not reflect on how I will react to someone.  The Lord wants to be with me, yes me and I get to sit at his feet and just rest in all that he has to impart.  It is a time of receiving, breathing in life and restoring my very soul. 

Hints on How to Be a Friend

Hints on How to Be a Friend
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1. Be Trustworthy.

When a friend tells you a secret, keep it.
Don't repeat it to others.

Trust is a vital part of friendship.
Loss of trust can destroy a friendship.



2. Be sensitive.

Be aware of a friend's needs. Try to know when your friend
needs to be with you and when your friend wants to be alone.

Respect his or her wish for privacy and need for personal space.



3. Be dependable.

If you make a promise to a friend, keep it.
Don't let your friend down.

Be there for him or her in good times as well as bad.

Let friends know they can count on you.



4. Be a good listener.

Kids like to talk to someone who listens actively.

Show a genuine interest in the things that are important to your
friend.

Maintain eye contact while he or she talks.



5. Be honest.

Let a friend know how you feel.

If a friend says or does something that hurts you, talk it over
with him or her privately.

Express your feelings as honestly as you can, and encourage your
friend to do the same.





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Be accepting by Christy Klepetko (the above should be exercised in light of the following)

Only be close friends with safe people. We are all hardwired differently and just because you like to be with someone doesn't mean you will have the same values or approach to life.  Friends whose actions compromise who you are should be kept at an emotional distance. Enjoy what you have in common, accept them for who they are, but guard your heart that you not compromise who you are.  The distance required to maintain these types of relationships should be in direct proportion to how easily you are compromised.  So be willing to look at what happens to YOUR character when you spend time with them.  Compromise is often like a chemical reaction.  It is the part of your GOOD character that is put in that is compromised.  This will rarely birth the behavior the other is doing at 1st.  For example:  You trusting a friend that lies to you will most likely not cause you to lie.  Yet it will have the byproduct of distrust.  To hold a liar as a close friend will eventually cause you to believe that all will lie to you.  This has now compromised your character.  Yet their is hope.  For God told us to be in the world but not be of it.  He also said he will give us the strength to overcome temptation yet sometimes we must flee.  Jesus could be with the worst of sinners and not compromise who he was.  The more time we spend with Christ the more we will be able to be around those that are are entangled in sin without being compromised.  So listen to the Holy Spirit and flee when he says flee.  Asking the Lord to gird you in His truth, that next time you can come a little closer without being burned.  For our victory is found in being like Christ.  For their redemption can only be found in a relationship with the loving Father for which we may be the bridge.
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A Social Studies lesson passed out to a third grade class.
Taken from "Feelings About Friends," (c)1988-The Learning Works.