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Week Ending Sunday, November 18, 2018
Thankfulness
Once I wrote that I was thankful for all of God's gifts to me, my spouse, my family, my church family, actually I was thankful for just about everything in my life in that moment. Well, someone responded, a blessing in itself that someone was reading what I wrote, and responded rather negatively. They said if I was so thankful I must not be talking about the same God they knew about or prayed to. That person said there was very little to be thankful for what with all the famine, war, pestilence and death going on in the world. Too many people suffering; too many people homeless, hungry and afraid. They remarked that even Mother Theresa was angry with God. Okay we'll stop there for a moment. Angry with God is not the same as being thankful for a full set of blessings. It is being angry with God because you blame him for everything happening to everyone in the world in a negative way. Or being angry for something he did to you or didn't do for you, which is usually called being selfish. That person, whom I knew, was not suffering, was not hungry, was not homeless, was not hurting for anything in that moment but chose to be angry with God for the ails of the rest of the world. I felt sorry for that person, not aloud but in my heart, because they didn't or couldn't or wouldn't acknowledge what they had and found it easier to be angry and to blame. They missed the mark in my book. No judgement intended there, rather they missed the opportunity to give thanks for the positive and pray out the negative by doing so. Why not stop blaming and start asking for others the same gifts with which you are blessed. Then the energy would be twofold going in the right direction. After all of this time I can still see this person in anger shouting out to God and all the while he is looking on with love in his heart, pity in his tears and sadness for the one who didn't listen, didn't see, and didn't open their own hearts to God's goodness and greatness. They wasted away in bitter lament and wrongful aim of blame. I thank God again for letting me see that every day brings gifts; I am just sorry that not everyone knows them when they come. Not that I don’t get angry but when my reason returns, so do my blessings. Thankfulness is right up there with forgiveness. Try it some time and find thankfulness is in turn, happiness. Come to Gaddis for Worship. You'll be glad you did. All are welcome in this place. 
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welcomeGaddis Church is a United Methodist Congregation.
Please explore our website to learn more about us! 141 Hwy 87 | P.O. Box 566
Comfort, Texas 78013 830.995.3813 gaddischurch@gmail.com Sunday Service: 10:00 am Worship Service With Sunday school at 8:30 am Office Hours: Monday - Thursday | 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Friday | 8:00 am - Noon www.gaddischurch.org 
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