Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3: 22-23 (RSV)

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
James 1: 17 (NKJV)

“I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.”
Psalm 69: 30 (NKJV)

I wonder if you feel the same way. It has been a long year.

I suspect that for many of us, all that has happened this year has painted a mood for our days a bit less than we would have hoped for.

Too many days were covered with a mood of disappointment, discouragement, or despair. The memory of things gone by, still paint a cloud over our heads. A difficult childhood, business disappointments, relationships ending, strained finances, and you even began to question your purpose.  

All painting moods where a smile couldn’t seem to break through.

And then another illness invades a loved one, with more pathways of uncertainty stretching out before you.

Yet it’s Thanksgiving week. And as we enter this most distinctive of American holiday seasons, honest reflection will remind us of the faithfulness of God in so many moments in our lives for which we should be thankful—past and present—and which give us a reason for hope.

Why not let those moments, all around us, paint the mood of our days. Moments clearly sent by our forever faithful great God.  

Many years ago, God sent such a moment to me in the form of a note from our elder Granddaughter, Hannah, then seven. At the time, I was struggling and she sensed it—and brought God’s help to me.  

Maybe you’ve received one of these yourself.  

The envelope was decorated with shamrocks, containing a note inside adorned with four hearts—blue, orange, purple and green—and contained the following words—

“Can we eat thanksgivening food tegeter? I hope we can. I can’t wait to see you next time I do.” [Spelling uncorrected]

It painted my mood with His faithful light.

And then a few years later, I received a card from my younger Granddaughter, Ellie Kate. In it she included some pictures of her and her sister, and her Mimi and me.  

The outside of the note said “Hello.” The inside of the note held the words “It’s just me, thinking about you.”

Then in her best two-year old handwriting (not needing any punctuation, and with a few words simply marked over) she wrote—

“Dear gran you are the best gran I love you. Love Ellie please give back” 

At first I assumed it was the pictures that she wanted back, and which, I now realize, looking at her note again, I still have nineteen years later.

But after a moment, I saw that it was the love she wanted back. Easy enough.  

To this day, God continues to use both of our Granddaughters, Hannah, and Ellie, as messengers of His joy with His reminders for us always painting a mood of thankfulness, for His faithfulness to us in so many, many ways.

In the hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness” written by Thomas Chisholm sensing the morning by morning faithfulness of God in his life, he shares— 

“Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not.
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Great is Thy faithfulness.
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me…”

It has been a long year. What has been painting the mood of your days?

May I suggest that we paint the mood of our days remembering the forever faithfulness of God, then living our lives forever thankful for God’s great faithfulness, morning by morning for you and for me.  

Just look around.  

Thanks for the reminders, Hannah and Ellie.

Happy “Thanksgivening” to us all! (Original spelling to make you smile!) 

In His Name–Scott

Be blessed as you listen to this beautiful classic hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” powerfully sung by a church congregation in the Netherlands.