Gratitude

Gratitude


Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

–Colossians 3:16 NIV

The definition of gratitude is a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation. With Thanksgiving Day barely behind us, there is a desire in many of us for the joy and gratitude of this time to linger on past just a few days or so. While Thanksgiving Day is often spent with family and friends or just quietly alone in observance, it gives us a reason to stop and ponder the blessings of the past year. God’s blessings don’t always arrive on our doorstop with great fanfare though. Sometimes it is the simplest of things that we can see God’s hand in. I believe that if we look carefully, we can see God in the big and little things in our day. It is so easy to take responsibility and credit ourselves for all the good that happens. Yes, our efforts do not go unnoticed, but all good things come from God.

So you might ask, when things get tough, is that God, too? The answer is that He allows things at times to build us up. Make us stronger. Build spiritual muscle. But it doesn’t matter what is happening at the moment. The real key to having a heart of gratitude is to be grateful no matter how good or bad things are. Genuine gratitude doesn’t succumb to disappointment or that feeling of lack. Maybe things aren’t going well at all, but there is always at least one thing that we can be grateful for like having a Heavenly Father that loves us so much. Gratitude also promotes joy. Some of the richest, joy-filled people I know don’t appear to have any luxuries in life, yet they are grateful for each day and the opportunity to serve God in peace. To develop a heart of gratitude, we might think of something to be grateful for during this time of Thanksgiving and offer our thanks to God for all He has done and continues to do.

November

November


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
November 17, 2010

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. –Colossians 3:16 NIV

This is the best time of year to be at the beach! I like when I can have it all to myself. The quiet walks, the dampness of the salt air enveloping me, the warmth of the sun despite the wind makes up a typical November day. There is nothing better to me than hot coffee and a big breakfast before stepping outside. It seems that only the real “tried and true” beach lovers remain in the final weeks of autumn before the winter chill chases us all indoors.

Thanksgiving dinners, buffets and desserts are just days away. November is the perfect month to count our blessings. Oh yes, some people have more than others. But that is not the point to want what we don’t have or to envy those that do have. If financial problems or relationship issues plague us or even health concerns pop up, it can be hard to focus on what is right, instead of what is wrong. But the challenge is to be grateful for the place that we are in and to find the blessing in it. With feeling blessed comes the gift of peace. There is nothing greater than to live in God’s Peace. We are taught to trust Him and give Him our concerns. To live in expectant hope for the future, to know we are forgiven of the past and to live in the present, with His Word close to our heart. While the calendar says that Thanksgiving is just one day, the spirit of it can live much longer in our hearts, our spirits and our actions. Not only am I grateful to receive God’s blessings, I will ask today that God use me to be a blessing to someone He puts in my path. God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving



Bodie Island Lighthouse

Bodie Island Lighthouse


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
November 10, 2010

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; -Psalm 55:22a (NIV)

On my way to Oregon Inlet to take photographs of the beautiful fishing boats, I ducked into the little road leading to the Bodie Island Lighthouse for a quick look at the current renovations. How amazing it looks to see that old lighthouse shrouded in scaffolding from top to bottom and from what I understand on the inside as well. This lighthouse was actually built in 1872 so I think you could say this total overhaul is overdue! Locals know that the correct pronunciation of the lighthouse sounds likes the word “body” as opposed to using a long o for the word Bodie. The name goes back to the Body family that named the land Bodies Island where the lighthouse stands today Located in Nags Head just 4 miles north of Oregon Inlet, the original Fresnel lens provided light until it was upgraded to an electric lamp in 1932 and then became fully automated in 1953. As part of the renovation, the Fresnel lens is being restored and will be re-installed. On our many evening drives throughout Nags Head, it was always special to see the light in the night sky and it will be special to see it again when the work is complete.

Renew, revive, refresh, refurbish, renovate. All of these words mean the same thing. Each day when we wake up we have the opportunity to be refreshed and start anew. When we add to each day the worries and concerns from yesterday, last week or last year, the day is heavy laden before it even begins. Our foundation begins to sag from the weight of the oppression, fear and worry that collects in our spirit over time. Don’t you just wish sometimes that you could shake off those nagging things that occupy your mind that takes up space and robs you of your energy? The good news is we can give all our cares and burdens to God. It lightens our load. If we truly trust Him, we know He won’t forsake us. Wasted time feeling weighed down is fruitless to Christian living. Do the work to put aside the things you cannot change. Give it to God instead. Live according to His Word. Be grateful. Give and do unto Him. He will replenish us daily when we shelter ourselves in the glow of His Light. When we receive His Light, it is ours to share with those still in the darkness.

Cottage Row

Cottage Row


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
November 03, 2010

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.

-Isaiah 33:6 NIV

I awoke to find that the light of day was merging with the night sky to form pink swirls of light dancing in and out of the clouds at sunrise. It was the perfect setting for a morning with my camera to capture as many moments in the morning light as possible. In my opinion, there is nothing more that typifies the Outer Banks than the historic cottages of Nags Head. Known as the “unpainted aristocracy” they have weathered the test of time. These homes intrigue me and I find myself wondering what it must have been like to spend summers there many years ago. Many of the homes are still owned by the families that built them in the early 1900’s. Their appearance is what is known today as the “Nags Head Style” of architecture. The hip-roofed porches, gray shingles, wide railings, and shutters add to the charm of these majestic summer homes built on pilings. Parking my car across the street from this area known also as “Cottage Row”, I was hoping to get to the beach unnoticed so that I could take photographs of the morning sun casting light on the homes and sea oats. A kindly homeowner reminded me I was on private property as I made my way, but with my apologies, thankfully he allowed me to continue. I found a family sitting on their old porch drinking morning coffee. We exchanged greetings and a wave. I thought in a moment that they were truly “living the life”! The seagulls flying by were noisy and their commotion added to the sounds so familiar of the shore. These historic homes are not built in a row. They look staggered and some have dunes in front of them and others do not. A photographer’s delight is to capture the uniqueness of it all in a single shot but it is impossible. All homes have sand fences here and there around the property and near the beach to encourage the sand to build up and not blow away, offering more protection. The amazing thing about these cottages is the fact they are still standing. Don’t we presume to know more today about construction with all the knowledge, technology and tools available to us? Yet, with limited resources and simply good ideas and the work of one’s hands, wonderful homes were constructed to last and they have done just that. Over 40 homes are considered part of this historic district now, and each certainly has its own story to tell.

It is all in the intention, wisdom and knowledge, I believe. Our spirituality is much the same. Internet offers a whole world of informational resources to build our faith, if we are willing to search for it. On Sunday mornings, television is largely devoted to preachers of all faiths. Radio broadcasts and podcasts are free and available to anyone seeking. Bookstores have books on every subject to guide us through our life according to the Bible’s teachings and the authors’ interpretation. Yet, it all comes down to what we are willing to do ourselves. It boils down to the Bible, our relationship with God and what we believe. The single carpenter from Elizabeth City, Stephen J. Twine, who was the builder of the “unpainted aristocracy”, didn’t have the fancy tools of today that we believe we can’t live without, but he found a way and did it with excellence. The same is true of our faith…we often times don’t think to just sit quietly with our Bible on our lap and talk to God. We want to make it too complicated and then offer excuses that we couldn’t make time because we are so busy. Simple faith is all that we need to have as our foundation to live in this world. Much we don’t know or understand, but if we believe with all our heart and seek God, we can weather the storms that we certainly will endure in our time. I know from experience that He gives us hope when we are hopeless. He lifts us up when we are down. He loves us when no one else does. He is Everything. We might stumble along the way in our life’s journey, but like those old cottages, they have made it all these years though hurricanes and nor’easters because of how they were built. We can be assured if we do the foundational work to stay close to God and abide in Him daily, we will continue to stand tall and not fall, too.