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Sunday, November 09, 2008

Overflowing with Thanksgiving in November


Colossians 2:7 says "Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving." (italics mine)
That is what we're focusing on this month in our home. As Thanksgiving approaches, we are preparing our hearts for true thanksgiving to God. It can't be a day that's all about turkey and parades and football. Of course, we'll learn about how this tradition began in our country with the Pilgrims and the Native Americans coming together to be thankful. But more than that, we want to seize this opportunity to check our hearts and lives. Scripture talks about us giving thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess. 5:18), to always be thankful (Col. 3:15) and so many times tells us to have thankful hearts. I like Col. 2:7 in particular because of the word picture it gives us. We should be so full of thanksgiving that we spill it out on everyone who comes in contact with us, like the picture above. I have to ask myself, what am I spilling out on others? Is it thanksgiving?
I realize I am lacking thanksgiving when I am grumbling or complaining, even when it's not outloud. That is alarming, because I have an infinite number of things to be thankful for. Undoubtedly, I should be overflowing, if for no other reason, because Christ chose me and saved me when I deserved nothing but hell and death.
Rusty and I want to cultivate in our hearts here in the Bacak home constant overflowing. Not just in November, all year long. But I really enjoy the preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday because of this.
So the kids and I talked about this verse every morning this week. I taught them to sign it, which it darling, by the way. And we wrote on our white board (which I think is incredibly handy whether you homeschool or not...what did I ever do without my giant white board?) what each of us was thankful for each morning this week. Here is a list of their responses. (Some of these really cracked me up.)

Emma: a family who knows God
My Mom and Dad
animals, especially my pets
Disney (our dog)
and horses

Jax: My candy store and how it's going (he thinks he's going to sell his Halloween candy and turn a profit...yes we have some work to do there.)
going on dates with Mom
My homemade store where everythings just $9.00!
Mom
Dad AND Mom

Justus: Mommy and Daddy
Nana and Pop-Pop, Grammy and Grandpa
Firefighters
His glory
My talking cereal (he's referring to Rice Krispies that make that popping sound)

Treston: more cereal
ba-ba (that's his paci. He's a serious addict. We're working on lining up some baby rehab.)
Fire! (that's firefighters, as Justus said)
books!
Matt (Matt Mosier, his Godfather and fun playmate.)

Mommy (that's me): I'm most thankful for Jesus saving me
for Daddy. He rocks.
homeschooling my kids (I do love it)
coffee (thank you, Jesus)
the Fall

How great are these? I think I will continue to post these each week as we overflow with thanksgiving. We'll keep learning verses about being thankful and hiding them in our hearts.

6 comments:

Marcus and Meg Asby said...

Three comments:

1. I laughed out loud when I read "firefighters." I'm thankful for them, too Justus and Treston. How thoughtful!

2. Justus! You are so young and already you're thankful for the most beautiful thing of all - His glory. Wow.

3. When I read "the Fall," I thought you meant THE Fall, like the fall from righteousness in Eden. Then I realized, OH she means the season Fall. I get it. :)

The Mosiers said...

Tell Treston I'm thankful for him too!! I feel so honored to be chosen right up there with the ba-ba and books! We love you guys!

Matt

Jenn said...

i'm with meg. when I read "His glory" I stopped. and praised God. and said "wow."

yes! keep posting them i love this!

Cindy Seay said...

I am thankful for all of you - God's gifts of blessing to us.
i love you,
mom

Feldman Family said...

right now i am thankful for a very loud crying baby...yep..praise the Lord for his sovereignty! a great doctor once said..."a crying baby is a breathing baby"

:)

we are also thankful for the Bacak's..each one of them! [i know that isn't what you're going for here, but for real...we are thankful!] we love you guys!

oh...and i am with you guys..."his glory", wow! let's meditate on that one!

Jennifer Bacak said...

Justus probably got the answer "his glory" because it is the answer to one of our catechism questions that he answers frequently. "Why were we created?" A: "For his glory"
So even if Justus doesn't totally understand what that means now, I pray he grows in his understanding and quest to glorify God day by day.
I thought I would explain that one so that everyone didn't think I had a mini-John Piper for a four-year-old.
But he's gettin' there!
jenn