DON'T FORGET THE BLESSING

Have you thanked Him?
Have you praised Him?
Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?
Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?
1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)
1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

16 hours in a car in the middle of the night gives you a second or two to think. So in between doing my best to stay awake between 2 and 4am, I got a little overwhelmed.

This time last year my middle kid Sam was struggling in her life. She was talking about ending it because it had become so difficult. Flash forward to this past winter and spring and my oldest gets a diagnosis of cancer. 
Yet as we are buzzing down south 75 I look up into the rear view mirror and there were both of them sleeping, albeit a little uncomfortably, in the back of the van. I couldn’t have been more thankful. They are both healthy and happy. That is favor!

You see I used to dread going on vacation with my family. Vacation meant I had to be accountable to and I hated that. I never paused to think how fortunate I was to be going on vacation let alone how blessed I was by GOD to have the time and family to share the time away. 

Instead I was consumed with me, my addiction and the stress of keeping “a buzz”. Therefore I MISSED most of my family time away trying my best to “get away” from all of them in order to “feed the cravings.”
That is why even though 16 hours in a van in the middle of the night can be a little grueling, I was just so blessed to be tired and bleary eyed looking in that rear view mirror. Instead of running away from my family I was flooded with gratitude to have them behind me and with me.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
…thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

And then GOD really starting talking to me.

Now you have to realize DISNEY WORLD can be an incredibly busy and noisy place but last night as we were wandering around DOWNTOWN DISNEY, GOD spoke that very scripture right into my head. 

Above all of the noise and the chaos GOD said stop and pause Greg. Sam is over in that corner laughing and loving the new makeup collection. Hillary and her buddy Cameron just left to take care of things at the restaurant for everyone. Ian and Kenzie are just like any kids in a 12 room megaplex dedicated to them, heads on a swivel grinning from ear to ear. There is Beth glad you are here with her sharing in making memories. And there across the way are Dave and Shannan who have been through their own severe trials and challenges these past months looking like kids in the preverbial candy store.
GOD said GREG while DISNEY is cool, the real treasure is on the faces of all these people; the real treasure IS these people. They love you. They chose to be with you. I gave you that!

Be thankful.

I am.

Can I encourage you to do something today? Push out the noise, the fatigue and the chaos in your life for a second or two and look around and grasp at what GOD is TRULY doing in your life. Has He restored a relationship for you? Has He quietly shown you favor? Are there faces for you to be taking in and appreciating?
Embrace the moment! Show GOD how GRATEFUL you are. These are the beautiful moments!

Bless Him name!
Psalm 103:2
O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless God, don’t forget a single blessing!

I love you all…
Freedom Church