We celebrated Timothy’s birthday yesterday. Birthdays are a big deal in our family; it gives us a reason to celebrate and party.
Celebration is crucial to healthy living. The thing is . . . I spend time with people that live without celebration. Why? They have allowed something or someone in their life to block their view of what God has given them. The long-term result of this condition is the loss of gratefulness, which is key to celebration. And, we really can’t blame something or someone else for our personal lack of gratefulness.
Study what James writes: Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.(James 1: 17-18, NLT)
Regardless of problems, pressures, or how people treat us . . . we are told . . . we are the prized possession of God, who created the universe. Isn’t that reason enough for celebration?
It is a decision to live intentionally grateful as well as to celebrate.
So. We must intentionally focus on the continual goodness of God, which creates gratefulness and an atmosphere of celebration.
Make each summer day count: Stop. Focus on the goodness of God. Give thanks. And, celebrate.
Learning with you to KICK START the day celebrating.
Pastor Kerrie
(written by Kerrie Palmer © 2010 All Rights Reserved)
interactstudies/ ~ kpalmer@hillchurch.com ~Church on the Hill~700 N. Hill Rd.~McMinnville, OR 97128~503.472.8476 ~www.hillchurch.com~Archives & Daily Subscription: go to http://kickstarttoday.blogspot.com/