Slowing Down long enough to Praise God

(Prov 20:12 NLT) Ears to hear and eyes to see-both are gifts from the LORD.

This morning Solomon takes us back to the basics. It seems like we are all busy in today's society. Kids' schedules are often as busy as their parents', between school, sports, and other extra curricular activities. Parents have to juggle the kids' schedule, work related responsibilities, and managing their home; not to mention the fact that they must also take care of themselves (physically, psychologically, and spiritually) and somehow make time to keep the flame in their marriage burning. Wow that a lot of work!! We have work email, personal email, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and all sorts of other online activities that we interact with on our multiple multimedia devices. While technology was supposed to make life easier, one can definitely make the case that it has made life more hectic. But we embrace our busy schedules, all the while attempting to make room and time for God.

Even as you read this email (on your computer or phone), most of you are doing so with 'just a few minutes to spare.' You are reading this quickly so that you can get on to your next task. Some of you have my emails on your daily checklist, so you are trying to hurry up so you can check it off.

But the message this morning is to SLOW DOWN and think about the goodness of God. Allow God to take you back to a time when your life was a lot simpler. Solomon reminds us of the true blessings we take for granted. We have ears to hear and eyes to see, both are gifts from the Lord. It is a liberating experience, at least for me, to spend a few minutes thanking God for who He is, what He has done, and How He has richly blessed me - and not with an emphasis on "things," but rather with an emphasis on LIFE.

If you are reading this email, then you are still in the land of the living. There were many people who did not get up this morning, but you did. There are many today who cannot read this email, because they cannot see, but you can. Let's get back to the basics and simply THANK GOD in all things and at all times.

James said, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father" (1:17). While that is definitely true, it is something that we often overlook and certainly something that we fail to thank God for. But let's thank Him today.

Solomon's father David said, "I will always thank the LORD; I will never stop praising him. I will praise him for what he has done; may all who are oppressed listen and be glad!" What an attitude! David was committed to praising God and so should we be. And David was not content with just praising God by himself. In an attempt to take it from a solo to a symphony David said, "Proclaim with me the LORD's greatness; let us praise his name together!" (Psalm 34:1-3). Will you accept David's invitation?

So what does this mean to you ? It means that you should take a few minutes to 'un-plug' from your busy schedule and your multiple electronic devices long enough to PRAISE GOD for the basics - you are alive, you have the activity of your limbs, you have breath in your lungs, blood is flowing in your veins, and the Father still wants to use you for His glory. Isn't that awesome?

Father, I thank You for blessing me to get up this morning. I know many people died last night, but I was not one of them. It is only because of Your goodness that I can breathe my next breath. I can see, hear, taste, touch, and smell; and for that I say THANK YOU. I will enjoy this day because I am going to slow down long enough to notice things I don't normally notice. This is going to be awesome. I have been busy, but today I refuse to be too busy to give You PRAISE. Like David, I will always thank You and I will never stop praising You. My attitude of gratitude will unlock peace, hope, and confident expectation in my heart and my infectious hopefulness will rub off on all those I come in contact with today! In Jesus' name. Amen!