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You see, gratitude carves a grand canyon in a heart made tender by pain. The depth can’t be adequately described. It is something that has to be experienced. Who can explain how it feels to be handed hope when you were sure your chance had passed? Who can describe what it is like to look into the eyes of the giver and see a glimmer of understanding and not a hint of judgment? That is friendship!

so, naturally, i had to look up the definition of gratitude to find it’s real meaning.

a feeling of DEEP appreciation. a DESIRE to thank.

WOW! a desire to thank? how many times do we say thank you? how many times do we say thank you and truly mean it? i think i’m going to have to disagree with this definition. gratitude is more than saying, “thank you,” when someone gives you something. gratitude is more than an action which we decide to do by an act of will power. you can say the words, “thank you,” when there is not gratitude in your heart at all. it’s customary to say thank you, especially in the south. it’s the hospitality in us!what it takes to turn the words, “thank you,” into gratitude is the real genuine feeling of gratitude. it’s a feeling that arises uncoerced in the heart. it can’t be willed into existence, especially if it is not there.

gratitude is a form of delight

more than delighting in a gift. it is more than feeling happy that you got something you wanted. it’s a feeling of happiness directed toward a person for giving you something good. gratitude is a happy feeling you have about a giver because of his giving something good to you or doing something good for you.

It is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 2 Cor 4:15

gratitude flourishes in the sphere of grace.

gratitude flows out of the hearts of those who “receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness” (Rom 5:17). this gratitude to Christ is more than saying, “thank you,” or trying to return some service; it is more than being glad you are free from condemnation; it is being glad toward Jesus for the riches of salvation and the way he made it ours. when the grace of Jesus penetrates the human heart, it rebounds back to God as gratitude. christian gratitude is grace reflected back to God in the happiness we feel toward Jesus.

and for HIS sake, not ours!

so, i pray that you can have gratitude towards your friends just as your Savior has grace upon you.

here’s the story…

a few months ago, a friend of mine started a program called couch to 5K. sounds horrid. running a 5K? yeah right… but the more and more i thought about it, the more i became okay with the idea of getting up off my fat arse and getting active. so, i began to actually USE my gym membership that i’ve been paying $100 a month for only to say that i have one. i was THAT person… yeah, you’ve done it too. you cannot deny.

off to the gym! i stared a measly twice a week routine of walking on the treadmill, hanging out on the elliptical for a while, then pumping some iron on those hydraulic machines. all good stuff right?  but i wasn’t breaking sweat, i wasn’t feeling better, and i wasn’t loosing any weight. so, in a moment of clarity one saturday morning when i should have been at the gym, i decided that i was switching gears. i would begin to run, tomorrow. if you know me well, you know that running and i do not,  in any way, whatsoever, have a friendly relationship. running reminds me of high school gym class and a little thing we called suicides. no need for explanation. since then (we’re talking post high school, which is going on it’s 11th year, i  might add) i’ve always said that i would not run, ever again, unless i was sprinting from base to base OR being chased.

so, here we are. i’m not enrolled in any sort of softball league nor am i in a dating relationship (sprinting from base to base… eh?) and i’m certainly not being chased. at least i don’t think i am…. enter quick glance behind me… yesterday was day two of running and today, i wished to be in the gym plodding along on the treadmill. i even thought, “today would be a great day for a run outside.” just plain crazy talk. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!  i’m even seeking advice and accountability from my dear friend kelli white (world championship runner). Lord have mercy.

so, stay tuned. i will go forward. tomorrow is day 3. i expect it to keep getting a little bit easier and yet a lot more challenging as i increase the intervals in which i run. for more details on the C2K program, go here. see what i’m putting myself through.

on another note, i’m pumped about getting some new cute running shoes! ping!

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WE CANNOT DRIVE WORTH A FLIP

because of this…

Written by: Melanie Chitwood

“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:17 (NAS)

Has there ever been a time when you thought that marriage is harder than you expected or more challenging than you want it to be? My marriage of 18 years to Scott has been a roller coaster of ups and downs this week, and today I’d prefer a whole lot more of the ups, or least some steadiness. We’ve argued about how often we’re physically intimate and how often we have intimate conversations. We’ve argued about who works harder and who’s giving more to the relationship right now. We’ve argued about really basic issues.

In the private place of my mind and heart I’ve had questions about my marriage. I’ve questioned how two people who are so different can be content to be married to one another. What will con tinue to sustain us and to create a stronger marriage through the years?

And to top it off, I think to myself, “Melanie, you write about marriage. Shouldn’t you have this marriage thing figured out? What on earth am I doing writing about marriage?” Deep down inside, however, I know that’s exactly why God asked me to write about marriage. I don’t have all the answers, as that has been glaringly obvious this week.

But I know the One who does. I know the One who created marriage. I know the One who blesses my marriage. I know the One who holds my marriage together, as today’s key verse reminds us.

This morning as I talked to God about me and Scott, I prayed, “Lord, I don’t want to be at an impasse with my husband. I want us to find peaceful ground. I want us to find oneness. I want to help him, not hinder him.” As I turned to God with my heart held in my hands offered up to Him, God changed me.

God answered my simple prayer in the most practical way. I prayed, “How can I please you today in my marriage?” God’s answer to my heart was, Bring Scott lunch today. Make him a big, delicious, healthy salad because that’s his favorite lunch.

“Really, God? Don’t you think Scott and I need to talk through our issues?” And then I sensed God saying, There will be time for that, but for now, I want you to obey Me.

You see, time and again I’ve seen that as I let God mold my heart and as I respond in obedience, God’s floodgate of love and power covers my marriage, leading us to the place He wants us to be. There will be time for more conversations between us, but for today God wants me to take one step of obedience.

Okay, God, I’m on it. I’m off to make a salad.

Dear Lord, Thank You for my marriage and thank You for my husband. Thank You for holding us together through the ups and downs of my marriage. Keep me focused on You, Lord, so I can honor You and be a blessing to my spous e. Lord, when we need to communicate, I pray we can do so honestly and peacefully. When we need to forgive, I pray we will both freely and readily forgive one another. And when we have misunderstandings, Lord, bring us quickly to a place of understanding. Where we need to extend each other grace, let us do so because You have so lavishly covered us with Your grace. As I trust You with my marriage, let my marriage bring You honor and glory. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Application Steps:
Do one thing today to show your husband you love him. Here are some ideas:
- Give him a smile and a really big kiss when he comes home at the end of the day.
- Call, email, or text him to say how much you appreciate his hard work.
- Fix his favorite meal.
- Don’t be too tired tonight for intimacy.
- Hold your tongue. Don’t say those harsh words you’re thinking about your husband. Instead, talk to God.
- Promise not to bad-mouth your husband to your friends.

Reflections:
Consider the attitude of your heart and the actions of your han ds in your marriage. Is there anything you need to confess to the Lord? Do that now. Remember that acknowledging your sin doesn’t mean that you and your husband don’t have issues you need to talk about and it doesn’t mean that your husband doesn’t have sin in his life. It means that you are seeing yourself clearly and that you are willing to do what God wantsyou to do. It means you’re trusting your marriage to God and inviting His transforming power into your marriage.

Power Verses:
Ephesians 5:1-2, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (NIV)

© 2010 by Melanie Chitwood. All rights reserved.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

As I tried to catch a few more minutes of sleep, my husband leaned over and whispered that he was going to the pool. We were on a Florida vacation so going to the pool would be a normal activity for many people, just not my husband. He is not someone who “goes to the pool.” Ever. The beach, maybe, but usually only when I go with him for a walk.

So, when he kissed me and headed out the hotel door alone I was curious, although not curious enough to miss a little more shut eye! As I rolled over thirty minutes later, I realized he hadn’t come back yet, so I did a little snooping.

I went onto our balcony to see if I could get a glimpse of him, wondering what he might be doing. As I scanned the pool area, I caught sight of a homeless man sitting on the side of the road leading to the public beach entrance. I remembered passing him the day before as he was sleeping in the grass. Today, however, he was sitting with his legs crossed, coffee in hand, talking to someone. I leaned a little further over the edge of the balcony and my heart skipped as I realized it was my husband. The two of them were sitting on rocks, drinking cups of coffee, engaged in conversation.

I watched them from a distance for about twenty minutes until they parted ways. My husband looked so comfortable talking to this man. They were laughing, smiling and having a nice time. I learned he offered to do the guy’s laundry, and then sent him on his way with a little cash.
I had to pause a moment and ask myself if I would have been gutsy enough to do the same. Would I approach a complete stranger just to sit and talk? Would I offer someone hungry a coffee and a breakfast bar as my husband did?

As I pondered their encounter I thought about the kind of man my husband is. You see, he’s not the type to get up early and read his Bible every single day, and he’s not on any committees at church. What you will see him do though, is talk to homeless men, give money to needy strangers, and be kind to people. You know, “be Jesus” to others.

I believe God asks each one of us to step out and “be Jesus.” Sometimes, though, we get so consumed with everyday life we just don’t do it, or we say we’ll do it later because we don’t have time now.

I also believe that God doesn’t ask us to do anything that He hasn’t already prepared us for. You see, my husband was homeless as a teenager. He was forced to live on his own from the time he was 15 years old. He learned to find shelter in snowdrifts, basements, and abandoned cars. He has a heart for the unlovely, the runaways, and those whose clothes aren’t so clean.

We each have gifts, talents and past experiences that allow us to reach out and touch others in ways that will be meaningful to them. It often doesn’t cost us more than a cup of coffee to do so. What experiences or passions do you have that would make you a perfect candidate to reach out to someone today?

Dear God, open my eyes to the people around me so I can make a difference to someone else. I know the circumstances of my life are not left in vain when I offer myself to You and Your service. Provide a way for me to “be Jesus” to someone today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

What do you need? Do you think God has tried giving it to you? Do you think it’s right in front of you now? Are you scared? What’s keeping you from reaching out and taking His gift? Do you care more about what others will think than you do about His plan for your life? Is it too hard to take the step? Oh ye… Where’s your faith?

He IS with you. Trust in Him. Acknowledge Him. He will direct you. He WILL provide.

Get ready and expect the unexpected! His gift may come in a form you don’t anticipate…

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For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord… Jeremiah 29:11

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father… James 1:17

I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed… Nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20

but there’s something else behind this number. what that is, i have no clue. it’s befuddling to me (isn’t that a great word?!) but it must be pretty darn significant in some way. enough so that somehow i end up looking at the clock at least once a week at that time. so why is this REALLY so significant? you tell me… anybody?

here are a few pictures from the past month proving my connection with this time…

bongo java east – located on my street, this is a lovely place to really get the full coffee experience. this is the place they roast all the beans for both bongo’s and fido’s. they also have a mean bagel with peanut butter. yum yum! don’t forget to try to homemade granola too.  http://www.bongojava.com/bongo_east.php

fido’s – also owned and operated by bongo java. not only do they have fun espresso drinks like the pink poodle but their food is outstanding! best fish taco’s i’ve ever had, and that’s coming from someone who used to live in TX & CA. http://www.bongojava.com/fido.php

crema – if you’re looking for a FINE cup then this is your place. they pride themselves on quality and that’s exactly what you’ll get. my drink of choice: the cuban.  http://crema-coffee.com/

ugly mugs – if you’re a night owl, this is the place to go. they are open late, good for you laptop users since they haven’t plenty of outlets, and just a great place to hang. they frequently have live music here and lift the garage doors to bring the outside in. jason love’s their iced coffee. http://www.uglymugsnashville.com

sweet 16th bakery – my fav place to get a cup of coffee (drew’s brews to be exact). they don’t serve espresso there folks but their baked items are out of this world! you won’t want to pass this place up, which you’ll do if you blink. it’s located on the corner of 16th street in the historic lockland springs neighborhood. http://www.sweet16th.com/

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so what is this amazing espresso i am talking about? it’s simply called NESPRESSO. jason stumbled upon this while he was in korea, just to find out that they are also sold here in the US. sure, you can go to william sonoma and buy one for $400, but why would you do that when ebay is selling them for $150? so that’s what we did. $150 and a week later we staring at this…

now that, is the le cube espresso machine from nespresso and those little multi colored things are the capsules, filled with espresso. this machine comes with cup holders and warmers on the side too! all you do is fill the water compartment, press on, and go and you’ve got one of the best cups of espresso you’ll ever be able to make at home. and… when you get adventurous enough, you can buy all kinds of roasts like we did… they even come with their own display case! fancy

Limited seating is available for $1000/ticket.  Please contact Angilee at 615/277-1376 for more information or to order your tickets before they sell out!