Thanks-Launching by Rhonda Rhea (and a GIVEAWAY!)

I hope this isn’t too personal, but I always seem to have at least one pair of jeans that I have to refer to as “breathing optional.” I’m not sure why I find the laws of jeans-physics so complicated. Wait, would that be physics—or maybe geometry? Jean-ometry? Whatever it is, the internal area of the jeans times the square root of the stretch of the fabric still can’t equal less that the sum of the body mass trying to fit inside it. This should not be so rocket-science-y.

When my children were younger, I remember a few instances when wearing a pair of the death jeans that I felt it necessary to instruct the kids with something like, “Okay now if Mommy passes out, nevermind the CPR. Unbutton the jeans.”

I would’ve been wise to add the warning, “And do not look directly at that top button.” One bad thread and that thing could launch. Now there’s some scary rocket science. I’m telling you, somebody could lose an eye. I’m thankful every time I wear danger-jeans without any incidents of unconsciousness or assorted maimings. So hey, I guess if nothing else, at least the jeans do prompt thankfulness.

Thanks-prompting is such an integral part of life. Parenting especially. Over the years with my own five kids, I wonder how many times I said the words, “What do you say?” in that sing-song motherly voice. Like a teleprompter only with audio.

If your children are young, you’re probably wondering if you’re going to have to prompt them forever. I’m sorry, but the answer is yes. Just for fun I pulled out my sing-song motherly voice the other day and asked one of my twenty-somethings, “What’s the magic word?” His answer? “Abracadabra.” Oi vey, I so should’ve prompted more often.

Thankfully, I do know for a fact that God uses those thanks-prompting lessons in all kinds of ways. Ever find your personal worship time feeling a little trivial—not as joy-filled—but you can’t quite put your finger on why? Maybe a thanks prompt is in order there too. Sometimes in those times of listlessness we discover that we’ve neglected that important part of entering into worship.

In Psalm 100:4, the psalmist gives us some “keys to the gates” of worship, so to speak. We’re told to enter His gates with thanksgiving. He’s referring to the gates of the temple that represented God’s high and holy presence. The people were to enter into the presence of their holy God through the gates “with thanksgiving.” Again, Psalm 95:2 says, “Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving,” ESV. 

Thanksgiving can open a door that leads us into deeper, more genuine worship. As we give thanks to God, we remember His faithfulness, His love, His provision and so much more. Through thanking Him, we find our focus moving from the things we think we need or the things we want God to do to a simple place of relishing what He’s already done and recognizing areas where He’s already so graciously at work. We’re moved to love and adore Him all the more. Extraordinary things happen in the presence of God through our thanksgiving.

And guess what else a thankful heart will generate. Thankful children! As a matter of fact, if we’re expecting our children to learn thankfulness when we’re not modeling it, we don’t understand the laws of thanks-physics any more than I fully get jean-ometry.

It’s lovely to think that at every thanks-prompt with our children, we can be reminded of the presence of our amazing God and the privilege and power of thanksgiving. There’s sweet worship waiting for us at that place of thankfulness.

I would heave a giant sigh of contentment right here but I’m wearing a pair of those jeans—the kind with a higher probability of button-launching. So…better not take any chances.  

DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT AND SHARE ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN ONE OF RHONDA RHEAS’ BOOKS! 

Be sure to tag us so we can include your share as an entry!

FACEBOOK tag – @TheMOMInitiative
TWITTER tag – @TheMOMInitiativ

 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Rhonda Rhea is a humor columnist and the author of 10 nonfiction books, including Espresso Your Faith, How Many Lightbulbs Does It Take to Change a Person? and Join the Insanity—Crazy-Fun Life in the Pastors’ Wives Club. She also coauthors fiction with her daughter, Kaley Faith Rhea. Their first novel, Turtles in the Road, releases this fall with two more completed and coming soon. Rhonda speaks at conferences and events all over the country. She is a radio personality and also makes regular appearances on Focus on the Family’s “Weekend Magazine” radio program. Rhonda and her daughters also host the TV show, That’s My Mom, for Christian Television Network’s KNLJ airing in mid-Missouri. She lives in Troy, Missouri where her husband pastors Troy First Baptist Church. She is the mother of five grown children—all five now serving in amazing ministries.

 

To find out more about Rhonda visit her website at: www.rhondarhea.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RhondaRhea.Author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RhondaRhea