What are your celebrations about? Are they celebrations of birthdays, graduations, and holidays? Do you celebrate accomplishments at work? Are your celebrations short lived? Do you rejoice and give thanks to God for all He has provided?
We see people celebrate of a lot of different things. In fact, we can celebrate something every day as a national day of something. Many times there are multiple things for the national day of celebration. In an attempt to remain on a perpetual high, we’ve gone far beyond the ten federal holidays.
Some of the national days make sense. Having a national day to celebrate brothers or sisters or cousins is good. Though I wonder why we don’t rejoice and gives thanks for them every day. I suppose the same is true for mothers and fathers, yet I can understand those days being called out specifically in respect to our elders.
Take a look at some of the national days to celebrate and you find days to celebrate coffee, eclairs, HVAC tech, onion rings, pink, hydration, pecan sandies, pralines, and parchment. It seems we are a desperate people looking for something to bring joy to our lives. We are looking for something to celebrate rather than being joyful that God has provided us another day to serve Him.
Might I suggest that we take time to stop and smell the roses, as the old saying goes. If we slow down just a bit to enjoy what we have and the day we have been given, we just might find that we are more joyful and don’t need all those national days.
I don’t know about all of you, but I get caught up in the rat race. I have too much to do in too little time. My mind is racing, I’m frantic, and I forget to slow down to enjoy God’s creation. Perhaps we need to stop adding to our to-do list and enjoy what God has given us.
Here’s something I have discovered: when I slow down, I think better. When I appreciate what God has given me, I’m happier. When I put things in God’s hands, they turn out better. My problem, and I suspect most of us suffer from the same problem, is I don’t slow down often enough.
I pray each of us will slow down a bit to appreciate what God has provided us with. I pray we rejoice in His gracious gifts. I pray we all give thanks to God for giving us another day to serve Him, learn from Him, and appreciate all He does for us. Take a moment to breathe and focus on God. Follow God’s guidance for your life. Rejoice in all He has done for you. Praise His Holy Name. Give thanks to God.
Psalm 9:1-2
I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.
Marty Pressey 