Let there be "Thanks"

Hello everyone!  It's that time of the year again!  Halloween is over and now the big push begins into the Holiday Season.  Before you know it, we will be singing "Jingle Bell Rock!"  OK, I won't jump the gun yet.   (Even though I must confess, I have already listened to some Christmas music). 

Seriously though, as we begin to dive head strong into this Holiday Season, let's not forget what the month of November is all about!   Sometimes, Thanksgiving gets overshadowed by the Christmas holiday.  It appears that it almost gets "Skipped" when you go into stores, the immediate change from Halloween to Christmas without what seems to be skipping a beat. 

So with that in mind, I know I don't want to forget what November is all about and that is being thankful!  So each day this month, I want to list one thing that I am grateful for each day.   Are you with me?  You will be surprised as you list something specific that you are thankful for.  30 days is just not enough!  I hope that that this little challenge will make you think and reconnect with what is important and really matters.

Are you ready?  Here we go!  Day #1 (2013) I am thankful for my Salvation!

Whoever knows me, knows this.  What is most important to me is my faith in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!  I am nothing without Him!  He is my strength when I am weak, He is the treasure that I seek, He is my all in all!  It is my personal relationship with Jesus that keeps me going!  I know without a shadow of a doubt that He is the one that I can run to and He is the one that will never fail!  Even when I mess up and miss the mark, His love for me is unconditional!

Thank you Jesus for your love and salvation!  To you be all the glory and Honor!

 

No Strings Attached

Today I am so thankful for my wonderful and awesome wife!  Brenda is the love of my life and she is such a tremendous blessing to me!  Her love and support is unconditional.  No matter what, she is and has always been there for me.  She sees past my quirks and my idiosyncrasies, and still chooses to love me for who I am!  That unconditional love.  Even on my bad days!  Yes I do have them.  There are days when I get frustrated, whether it be with kids, work, or just everyday life, she is still there for me, takes me as I am and still always there to love me!  WOW!!!  What more can I ask?  We have shared this wonderful connection with each other now for over 23 years and it has been awesome and I am truly looking forward to the many more years that we have together!  My wife is the best and I would not have her any other way!  So a big THANK YOU and I am so GRATEFUL for YOU! goes out to my loving and wonderful wife Brenda Lorenzo!!!  You are truly the best!

Counting on God!

Day #2 in our November Thankfulness Challenge.  So what am I thankful for on this second day of November?  I am thankful for God's provision!  In Him I have all that I need or could want.  I am so thankful that I am in the hands of a loving God who knows my needs and meets them according to His riches and glory!   Sometimes though, I have to admit that it is hard to see this.  There are and have been days when I look at my bottom line and think and say to myself "I don't know how we are going to make ends meet?"  and I would find myself starting to get frustrated and upset, then I am reminded that God will and has ALWAYS provided!  On my own, I don't understand how, but it does, God always meets mine and my families needs!  I just have to learn to rely on His provisions and not my own!  So for day two of this challenge.  I am very Thankful that I can "Count on God!" and that I know that my needs are met in Him and according to His economy and not mine!  God is so good and to Him I give all the glory!

So I encourage you today, if you are feeling down and you think you don't know how things are going to work out, I highly suggest you look up, and "Count on God"  He is your provision and HE Will supply all your needs!

Be blessed everyone!

"And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:19 (NLT)

I would love to hear your thoughts and comments. 

An Attitude of Grattitude!

Hello All, I can't believe that it is November 1st!!!  Where has this year gone?  Last year I started the November Thankfulness Challenge.  This was where one would choose something specific they were thankful for during the Thanksgiving season.  This year it would be 22 specific things that you are thankful for.  It is a challenge, but I am sure that you can do it!  Are you up for it?   Join me.  You will be glad you did.  As I did this challenge last year, it truly made me look and see how many things that I have to be thankful for!  It has kept me looking on the brighter side of things through out the year!  So are you on board?  I hope so.  Let the challenge begin!

So here I go, Day 1.  I am thankful for the support of my family!  My wife and kids, as I have taken on the adventure of going back to school this past year!  They have supported me in this and have sacrificed themselves to help me do what I truly have been wanting to do for a long time now.  So I am extremely thankful that I have their support during this time of my life where I am pursuing my higher education.  I could not do it without knowing they are behind me!  They are my cheer leaders and encourage me when I get down and tell me to hang in there and that I can do it!  Having that support goes a long way in creating that "Attitude of Gratitude!"

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #24 A November Challenge

Day #24!  The final day of the November Thankfulness Challenge.  Day #24 ends on Thanksgiving day.  I know, I am a day late, because I was celebrating with my family!  What a day.  I truly hope and pray that through this challenge it has made you realize how blessed you truly are!  Through this challenge I was challenged to truly think about what I was thankful for.  I am so thankful for all the blessings that the Lord has given me and my family.  It made  me appreciate more what I have and realize that I truly want for nothing.  I hope this challenge did the same for you!  So I leave you with this.  May the Lord richly bless you and your family!   Psalm 107:1 says "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever."   Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #23 A November Challenge

It's day #23 in the November Thankfulness Challenge.  It has gone by so fast!  As I anxiously await for Thanksgiving day tomorrow, I am thankful today for "God's Provisions"  It's so nice to know that I have what I need because of God's provisions.  Even when I get down because things did not go the way I would like them to go, I know that in the big picture of things God's got my back!  Because of his perfect provisions, I have what I need.  So as I prepare for tomorrow, I can be thankful for today and the provisions that God has provided for me! 

So a couple of things for me to look at as I am thankful for the provision of God.  Matthew 6:33 says "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."  1 John 5:14-15 says "And we are confident that he [God] hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.  And we also know that he will give us what we ask for." and James 1:17 says "Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.  He never changes or casts a shifting shadow."  So today I am so thankful for God's Provisions.  I have all that I need because my faith and trust is in the Lord. 

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #22 A November Challenge

Wow, I can't believe we are at day #22 of the November Thankfulness Challenge.  It seems like my list just keeps growing and growing on what I can be thankful for!  Today I am thankful for my good friends!  You know who you are!  There are some of you that I have not seen in a long time, but I know that I can call you and you will be there for me in an instant.  Also there are my friends that I know that we can get together and it seems like we have never skipped a beat.  Proverbs 27:17 says "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend."  I love that verse.  The reason being is that I know I have friends that love me and encourage me and are willing to give me the good, the bad and the ugly so to speak.  I know that I can take what they have to say to heart.  That is what I count as great!  I hope and pray that you all have a friend in your life that you can say the same thing about. 

It also amazes me how things can come full circle when you think about it.  I also have a wonderful friend that outshines them all!  I would love to introduce you to Him.  Proverbs 18:24 says "There are "Friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother."  I know I have a real friend in Christ!  He has and always will be with me through the thick and the thin.  I know that I can fully put my trust in Him.  I am so thankful and glad that I can be called a "Friend of God"

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A Time of Thankfulness -Day #21 A November Challenge

Day #21 of the November Thankfulness Challenge.  I would be a miss if I did not include the other part of my family.  My two wonderful little cats!  So today I am thankful for my cats!  You may ask, "Why?"  Why would I be thankful for some little animal?  Well, I must say that these little animals are the best to me and my family.  Cats seem to get a bad rap when it comes to attitudes.  That they are not like the good old faithful dog who won't leave your side.  True, they are not the same in that way, however, I do think they are two peas in a pod so to speak when it comes to loving your unconditionally!  I love my cats, the times that they jump on my bed to wake me up and purr in my face as they give me a big nudge with their cold little wet noses!  It is just a joy to sit there and watch them play with each other and chase each other around the house.  So I am thankful for my cats.  They bring me as well as my family lots of joy!

So don't forget about your little critters!  Be thankful for them! I know I love mine!

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #19 & #20 A November Challenge

Well, it's coming two days late, but here are days #19 & #20 of the November Thankfulness Challenge.  I will explain on why I am writing these late.  It is because of what I am thankful for during these two days.  For days # 19 & 20, I am thankful for "Family Time."  One on one time is great and we need to have that, but there is something about being together with family and having fun together.  My weekend was filled with just that.  We had a great get together at our church on Saturday and I loved that!  The kids had a great time with all the inflatable slides, jumper, and obstacle course.  Yes, even I took a turn on the giant slide.  I could not resist!  After all the fun of the church activity we were off to our next adventure for the day.  It was now time to go see Santa.  This has always been a Lorenzo tradition since our little boy was born.  Go and see Santa so the kids can give their lists him and hope that they get everything on it.  This time was sure to be an adventure.  Would she or wouldn't she, was the question of the day.  Would my daughter who is age five now, sit on Santa's lap for the first time?  Well, we were so proud of our little angel.  She did!  She even told Santa what she wanted!  She is growing up so fast!  Now that Santa was done, on to the next great family event.  Every year we pick out an ornament for our Christmas tree.  The kids pick one for themselves and we as a family pick a family ornament.  The past years it has been reindeer and snowmen for our family ornament.  This year...Monkey's?  Hmmm...Do I sense a change here???  That pretty much finished our family outing.  

What about Sunday?  Well that is the culmination of our weekend.  We finished off our family time by going to church as a family and then out to eat after church.   What can I say? I love my family and I am thankful for our "Family Time."

So I would encourage everyone to make sure you are spending quality family time together! You will be glad you did.  Who knows, you may just find that you have been missing a lot of fun!  Blessings to you all!

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #18 A November Challenge

Day #18 of the November Thankfulness Challenge.  Today I am thankful for "Peace."  The stillness and calm that you feel when you know everything is going to be alright!   Sometimes we get so tied up in just the fast pace of life and we don't take time to slow down and experience true peace.  It's that calming feeling, it's just the simple take a deep breath and relax!  Let the troubles of the day just be set aside and experience a moment of peace.  I know I find peace in many different ways.  Whether it is just taking in the morning sunrise, or the quiet of the morning, listening to music.  This can all be so peaceful. 
However, I would be a miss if I did not mention where I find my "True Peace."  My true piece comes from knowing the Lord!  My God!  It is in Him that I find my peace!  It is in Him that I truly know everything is going to be alright!  Philippians 4:7 says "Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."
So today, I am truly thankful for peace.  Once again, I know that no matter what the circumstance may be, I can be assured of peace! I can say "It is well!, it is well with my soul!"

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #17 A November Challenge

Day # 17 of the November Challenge.  Today I am thankful for Hope.  Without hope where would we be in this world?  Especially around this time of the year there seems to be an extra sense of hope as we draw closer and closer to the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays.    The Dictionary defines hope as follows:

hope

noun, verb, hoped, hop·ing.

noun

1. the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best: to give up hope.

2. a particular instance of this feeling: the hope of winning.

3. grounds for this feeling in a particular instance: There is little or no hope of his recovery.

4. a person or thing in which expectations are centered: The medicine was her last hope.

5. something that is hoped for: Her forgiveness is my constant hope.

verb (used with object)

6. to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence.

7. to believe, desire, or trust: I hope that my work will be satisfactory.

Here is my definition of hope.  Here's why I am thankful for hope.  Psalm 33:20 says "We put our hope in the Lord, He is our help and our shield."  I know no matter how bleak or bad the any situation may be that I have hope!  I have hope in the Lord that He will carry me through all the rough times that I face or will face in the future.  Psalm 31:24 also says "So be STRONG and COURAGEOUS, all you who put your HOPE in the Lord!"  I know that no matter what, I have hope!  Yes, there are days when I do get down.  That's life.  The days when it seems like the weight of the world and the pressures of this life are on my shoulders, I have hope!  That no matter how bad it may seem, I have hope!  Matt Redmond sings a song titled "You Never Let Go" and part of the lyrics to that song say...

 

 

"I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You,

still I will praise You!

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me!"

So I would say to anyone who is feeling down and out to don't loose hope!  Grasp onto it!  The days will be brighter.  There is promise of hope!  Thank you Lord for never giving up on me and NEVER letting me go!  That's my hope!

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #16 A November Challenge

Day #16 of the November Thankfulness Challenge.  Today I am thankful for The "Holiday Season"  The months of November and December are months of great celebration.  It is a time where we are Thankful and grateful for all things.  It is a time that we come together with family and friends.  It is a time that we set grievances aside and want the same things like peace, love and joy.  As I am very thankful for this time of the year, I also got to thinking today, "Why can't we be like this all year round?"  We should always be Thankful and grateful for the blessings that we have received and are going to receive in the future.  We should always be ready to give our talents and abilities to help others no matter what time of the year it is.  Take a moment to think, and I bet you can find someone that you could help out, whether it be a physical, monetary, or a spiritual need. Sometimes it may just be a smile or a kind word that will make someones day! 

So I take this verse today from 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus" (NLT)  So I am very thankful for the Holiday Season!  So I encourage you all to take this Holiday Season and extend it past November and December.  NO not the decorations and music, but the reason for the seasons!  Spread it throughout the year!  God bless you all!

 

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #15 A November Challenge

Day #15 of the November Challenge.  Today I am thankful for "Music."  Now anyone that knows me, knows that my musical tastes are vast!  I can go from classical to metal, just depending on my mood at the time!  I love music that is uplifting and just puts that extra bounce in your step.  Today, as I was driving into work, one of the radio stations here in Phoenix was playing Christmas music!  Now that was great!  It just made my morning and got me into the holiday mood all over again!  It's amazing what music does!  So I am thankful for music.  So sit back today and pull out your ipod or mp3 player and select your favorite playlist and enjoy!

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #14 A November Challenge

Day #14 of the November Thankfulness Challenge.  Today I am thankful for the laughter of my children!  There is something about laughing that will lift you up no matter what type of day or mood you are in!  I just love to hear my children laugh!  To see that smile on their faces and to hear the laughter.  Proverbs 17:22 says "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength."  Laughter is good for you!  Take a lesson from the kids who so freely laugh!  Find the joy in things and get a good laugh!  You will be surprised on what it does for your spirit!  You will be surprised on how the stresses of the day just seem to take a back seat when you are laughing, even if it is at the expense of yourself :)

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #13 A November Challenge

Day # 13 of the November Thankfulness Challenge.  Today I am thankful for my Church!  I love my extended family at Lifeway Church in Buckeye AZ.  I am thankful that I have a place to go where I can recieve every week from the Lord!  The Bible says in Hebrews 10:25 "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."  So I look forward every Sunday to going to my church!  I look forward in anticipation as to what I am going to hear and the encouragement from my brothers and sisters in Christ! 

So today I am thankful for my church!  I encourage everyone, no matter what church you may attend, GO!  You will be happy that you did!

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #12 A November Challenge

Day # 12 in the November Thankfulness Challenge.  Today I am thankful for relaxing days! I am writing this a day late, because I was doing just that...RELAXING!  Sometimes we just have to take some time out and not do anything, just relax!  We all need that time!  We all need a time of escape from the day to day tasks at hand, the run of the mill so to speak.  If we do not take these times to relax, then I believe we are doing ourselves a disservice.  I am thankful that I can just sit back in my easy chair and enjoy the day.  Letting my mind just wonder and let the pressures of the week just melt away!  Ahhh!  The great time of relaxation!  What a way to go!  I encourage everyone out there to take some time for themselves!  Relax, even if it is just for a few minutes!  Take the time!  So today I am thankful for relaxing days! 

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #11 A November Challenge

Day #11 of the November Thankfulness Challenge.  Today is a special day.  Not only is it 11-11-11, but it is Veteran's Day.  This is a time for us to take a moment to pause and be thankful for all the service men and woman that have served this country proudly!  Some of them given the ultimate price, their lives!  On this day, I am VERY THANKFUL for all the men and woman that serve in our Armed Forces!  Being thankful and saying "Thank you" just does not seem to be enough.  I am very grateful that these men and woman who have fought and continue to fight for our freedom that we have here in the United States of America.  Because of their many sacrifices I have the freedoms I have today!  Because of them I can say that "I am proud to be an American" Thank you!  I am very grateful to all of our Veterans and all who serve in our Armed Forces today!  God bless you all and my the protecting hand of our Lord be upon you all!

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #10 A November Challenge

Day #10 of the November Thankfulness Challenge.  Today I am thankful for a Good Attitude!  Proverbs 15:13 says "A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit."  I am often accused of being "too happy" or always looking at the glass as "half-full" and I am OK with that!  Why?  Because I try and make a daily choice to have a good attitude no matter what.  I try to find the good in each and every situation.  I find that if I do that then it keeps me from getting down and it lifts other people around me up!  I find that a good attitude will get you far!  Finding the good in every situation or to use a cliche' to "find the silver lining" in all things. 

You may be thinking "Do I every have my bad days?"  Yes, I do!  However, even in those days where I may just want to blow up and scream, I still try my best to choose to have a good attitude, to look at the glass as "half-full" and not "half-empty".  Because even when I am down, I can still have a good attitude knowing that whatever it is, it will not last forever and that there are better days ahead of me.  So today, I am thankful for a good attitude!

If you are down today, try and find the good, try and have an "Attitude Adjustment" and you will be amazed on what will happen.  Your outlook will totally change!  I promise!  Sometimes it's hard, I know!!!!   However the "Good Attitude" is a choice.  So do what I am thankful for today and choose a good attitude, I believe you will be happy you did!

I leave you today with some words from Charles Swindoll in regards to attitude:

Attitude

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.

It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.  It will make or break a company....a church....a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.  We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.  We cannot change the inevitable.

The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.  And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes!

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #9 A November Challenge

Day #9 of the November Thankfulness Challenge.  Today I am thankful for my daughter!  Daddy's little girl, my little princess.  I can go on and on.  What a blessing she is in my life!  She is my little angel sent from above!   I am thankful for her little smile that she gives me, every time that I come home she is right there to run out and give me a hug with a resounding "DADDY!"  Her little giggles and smiles just melt my heart away!  I can't believe how fast she is growing up!  I sometimes wish she could stay this cute little angel and not grow up.  However, I know that won't happen and I just pray that she will grow up into a wonderful young lady that loves the Lord.  I know that I have a big part in making that happen!  I am thankful for when I put her to bed at night and pray with her, sing a song to her and give her that bedtime kiss.  She is my little Angel, my Princess!   I love you my little sweetheart!  You ARE and ALWAYS will be "Daddy's Little Girl!"

A Time of Thankfulness -Day #8 A November Challenge

Day # 8 of the November Thankfulness Challenge.  Today I am thankful for my SON.  I know back on Day #5 I was thankful for my kids, however, I am writing about each one individually now because they have so many traits in them individually that I am thankful for.  Psalm 127:3 says "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him."  I am very thankful for my son, Jonathan.  I was a very proud man the day my son was born.  That was almost nine years ago.  I could not believe it, I had a son!  My little boy! 

What amazes me is how he is growing up to be a young man of God.  He is a very caring young man.  He has a heart of gold!  I am extremely thankful for that!  I pray that he will keep that sensitive spirit of his as he grows up in life!   My son makes me one proud Daddy!   He has said many times that he wants to grow up to be just like me!  WOW, what a challenge to me to be sure that I am raising him right!  That I am making sure he has an example to follow!  Even though I know I am not perfect, I know that I can teach my son how to ask for forgiveness, give forgiveness, show love and; compassion and be a real man.   I love  you son, and I am very thankful that you are a part of my life!