GRATEFUL GRIP

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.

Pregame phone call to dad.  Post game one too.

Foul ball lands in a trash can and everyone cracks up.

Taking pictures, serving a little supper and sharing prom night with daughter and friends.

What do these things have in common?

One of the things often missed in the consequence of addiction is the impact on “memories”.  When I share my story at gatherings or in front of groups, one of the things I share is my loss of “time and memory” to my choice of alcoholism.  I literally have a gap of time between 2006 and 2008 where without pictures to confirm that I was “there” I would never know I did, saw, experienced the things they reveal.

I was “there”, but I wasn’t “there” if you get my drift.

That is why today I so appreciate “being there” but more importantly I am SO GRATEFUL I am able to retain the memory of the blessings GOD has shared with me.

That brings me back to the game, the trash can baseball and the prom.

This past week I have shared some beautiful moments with some folks who are “being there” again.  The first was a daddy whose alcohol abuse used to cause him to have to write everything down in order to remember it.  It had become so bad that his kids wouldn’t even bother to include him in activities because they knew it was a waste of time, they feared he would embarrass them and they knew he would forget he was even there.  Yet this past weekend he got to coach his son before a game over the phone and congratulate him afterwards and he REMEMBERED and RETAINED all of it.  He was SO GRATEFUL for the blessing of “being there”.

I will be honest, as he shared that story both of us, men in our late 40’s, were choked up and crying in our office.

I was so happy for him to have had the “opportunity” to experience life and his son again away from the addiction. And he was so grateful to have been “there”.

Same with the “trash can baseball mom" who just one year ago was so polluted with heroin that walking upright let alone retaining anything was nearly impossible. Now one year later she was in the stands alive, cheering, smiling and “being there” for her little slugger.  She too was washed over with gratitude.

Now for many of you reading this today, these little stories won’t resonate.  You have never been so “far gone” that you were “zombified” like we were; relegated to merely sleepwalking through life. 

Yet the reason I share them is remind each of us to BE GRATEFUL today.

Psalm 118:28-29

English Standard Version (ESV)

You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good...

GOD has and will bless you with a coaching moment, a trash can baseball or a prom of your own. And I want to encourage you to “soak in and savor” the experiences and opportunities GOD places in your path; to be grateful for them.  Don’t ever take them for granted. 

Sharing an ice cream cone with someone is precious.  That walk in the park? Priceless! Birds wake you up? Thank them! Sharing life with your kids and grandkids is “once in a lifetime”, don’t be casual with that opportunity. RELISH IT!

Grasp each and every chance and experience with a GRATEFUL GRIP!

As one who “missed” so much, I don’t want to “miss” things now.  

GOD is intersecting mine and your life each and every day with blessing after blessing, opportunity after opportunity to experience his deep love for us.  Coaching calls and trash can baseballs only scratch the surface. Don’t take any experience for granted.

Keep alert! Take it in! Bank the memory!

Psalm 103:1-5

Living Bible (TLB)

103 I bless the holy name of God with all my heart. Yes, I will bless the Lord and not forget the glorious things he does for me.

 

I love you all!

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

Freedom Church

 

Pastor GDelaney