grate·ful [greyt-fuhl]

adjective

1.warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful: I am grateful to you for your help.

2.expressing or actuated by gratitude: a grateful letter.

3.pleasing to the mind or senses; agreeable or welcome; refreshing: a grateful breeze.

Synonyms 1. obliged, indebted. Grateful, thankful describe an appreciative attitude for what one has received. Grateful indicates a warm or deep appreciation of personal kindness as shown to one: grateful for favors; grateful to one's neighbors for help in time of trouble. Thankful indicates a disposition to express gratitude by giving thanks, as to a benefactor or to a merciful Providence; there is often a sense of deliverance as well as of appreciation: thankful that one's life was spared in an accident; thankful for the comfort of one's general situation. 3. pleasant, gratifying,satisfying.

It is the season of gratitude and thanksgiving. With Thanksgiving Day fast approaching it is so easy to let my attention focus on menus and recipes, shopping lists and guest lists. Today however, I want to express my gratitude to those whom I am deeply indebted, grateful for and thankful to. Those men and women who so bravely sacrifice to defend and protect our nation...my family...me.

My deep appreciation is also for the army of wives and husbands, children and grandparents, sisters and brothers of those who serve in harms way. They too, serve and sacrifice for our country while their loved one is away, for which I am eternally grateful.

I have heard it said that we are the Home of the Free because of the Brave. That we are. And from the bottom of my heart I thank you.

Being a "Visual Learner", I am so grateful that Jesus painted so many pictures with His words. I guess I just read pictures much better than I read words...but on deeper reflection it is the picture that remains indelibly etched on the tablet of my heart that confirms for me the power of the picture.

In Luke 12, Jesus is telling his disciples (and us) about how to deal with worry. Worry and anxiety, for many of us is a constant companion. Here is a list of the top 10 things that people worry about in 2012 from health.gather.com:

Money
Iran
Price of gas
pit bulls
election 2012
Mitt Romney winning
President Obama re-elected
global warming
ice age
December 21, 2012

I know that without too much problem we all could probably add to the list.

While worry has been a human condition from the beginning of time, I am pretty sure that what we worry about today is much different than what Jesus' contemporaries worried about. We might worry about what we might eat or wear not if we have anything to eat or wear. This is how Jesus paints the picture...He said consider the ravens (dirty birds that did not take care of their young) and the lilies, they have no way to take care of themselves but God provides for them just the same. How much more will He take care of us, because of His great and amazing love? Trusting God's perfect provision is the antidote to our anxiety and worry. And a wonderful way to apply that antidote is to take a walk outside...consider the flowers. For us Texans we consider that bluebonnets and the sunflowers. In the northwest you might consider the rhodies and the daffodils. Where ever you are look at the flowers. The picture that God our Provider is painting with each blossom is this...please don't worry, trust Me...I have you covered!

So when worry is knocking at your hearts door, take a walk outside, see the birds and the flowers and...consider the lilies.