Cloud of Negativity
Aren’t you getting tired of the cloud of negativity which seems to be hovering over our culture today? I know the economy could be stronger. Your job probably isn’t perfect. Your marriage may need some work. Your stress level is too high. Your church has possibly seen better days.
But let’s be honest. We still have a lot to be thankful for.
Colossians 3:15 reminds us “Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking, because you were all called together in one body to have peace. Always be thankful.” (ncv)
So this Thanksgiving I’m…
thankful for my wife.
thankful for my 3 beautiful kids.
thankful for a God who loves me even when I royally screw things up.
thankful to serve on staff with a group of people who are committed to furthering God’s Kingdom.
thankful for a church family who believes everyone’s welcome, nobody’s perfect, and anything’s possible.
thankful for a blog community like YOU GUYS!
Thank you for your friendship, your love, and your honesty. Even though I have not personally met many of you, you encourage me daily to want to be the man God intended when he thought me into existence.
I hope each of you has a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families.
The special holiday “all-skate” question is: What are you thankful for? Come on, it’s Thanksgiving. Jump in and tell us.
Subscribe to Without Wax in a reader
or
I blame the media for that negativity, and I strictly ration my exposure to them.
For cripes sake, living to tell the story of whatever awful happens to us is reason enough to be thankful.
I am thankful that God is GOD MOST HIGH! and that He is in control…’cause it would get really ugly any other way!
I am also thankful for my precious hubs and how hard he works to care for our family. I am very blessed to be Mom to the two most beautiful teenage girls – and NO, I’m not prejudiced!
I am very thankful for our family and how far God has brought us, knowing that He has walked with us each step of the way…even across the Atlantic Ocean.
Thank you, Pete for the opportunity to share what we are really thankful for!
How dare you! I’m not NEGATIVE. I just don’t think there is anything positive left. WAIT! Just kidding!
I have an incredible wife of 38 years! Cora is the love of my life. We married at 18 and have grown closer everyday since. She gave me a son who is stellar and likely even wiser than his old man! God is good all the time!
Thanks for asking! IS that many !’s legal?
Most thankful for my God who is a God of Mercy and that without Him…I am nothing!
Also thankful for my family and friends (blog friends included).
Happy Thanksgiving to your beautiful family!
I was thinking about this last night at Kairos. This year has been the toughest of my short life…and I am truly thankful that we serve a God that chases us, so now, I can chase him.
Thankful for my great husband, my 2 precious kids, a church family that is committed to serving Jesus and each other. Thankful for wonderful friends. Thankful I can trust my God to provide for our every need no matter how the economy swings. The list could go on for a very long time.
I am thankful for the blessing from God that my wife Jamie and I are expecting our first child.
Funny. I think I’ve become addicted to your website (and your wife’s) because they are such a slice of happiness and heaven on earth amidst all the sad negative stuff that surrounds us every day. So I’m thankful to you both for sharing your thoughts, prayers, and family with us all every day. I’m also thankful for my precious family, friends, job, health, and faith. Thanks be to God and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I’m thankful for my family, for new friends, for a wonderful church family, I’m even thankful for the three puppies we don’t seem to be able to give away. But most of all, I’m thankful for Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. To regain the proper perspective, I have only to look at the cross.
Yes, a lot to be thankful for despite what the media is telling us. According to them, we should all be miserable.
I’m thankful God is in control (and not the media).
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Happy Thanksgiving Pete and Brandi and Boys!
I have a Savior! That’s it. That’s all I need. But of course He doesn’t stop the blessings there. My family, Nashville, my roommate, all my friends, health, CROSSPOINT, a job and a great boss, and I could go on and on and on.
God bless you and your family!
I am thankful for your message each week……seems like it is always taylored to exactly what I need to hear. I am also thankful that you are approachable…..and not on the top rung! Thanks for being not only my pastor, but also a blogging buddy! Happy Thanksgiving!
I am thankful for air… without it, this would just be part of outer space.
In all seriousness, I pick something to be thankful about every day and I record it on my site under a page called Ebenezer Wall. I started doing that back in August and so now I have over 100 things that I can look back and recall and be thankful all over again.
I am thankful for God’s mercy, but also, when that mercy is channeled through the people around me who are able to put their foot down but lovingly and in a way that makes me feel like they are by my side, even if they don’t agree with me.
I am also thankful for my huge supportive but goofy family, forgiveness, technology and how it allows us all to unite and communite, sparkly jewelry, the ability to highlight one’s hair, my dog, and honey (without such, green tea would NOT be the same).
In shocking retrospect, I am finally thankful for my mistakes- without them, I wouldn’t be able to humble myself and forgive the ones who have forgiven me.
I am thankful to God for seeing us all through this year of trials and set backs. He has been gracious to us. Gave us strength when we needed it. Patience too. Love and understanding for each other. Everything we needed to get thru the days that we crawled through one.hour.at.a.time. He heard our prayers and mended our broken hearts.
I am so thankful that we ALL will be together for Thanksgiving. We have only been together -all 8 of us- but 5 times the entire year!!! I have so missed our family times!!! We all have. We are ALL looking forward to spending a day together.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!!! Have a blessed day with those you love!!
Like all of you, I am thankful to God for all my blessings both big and small. This year I’m especially thankful to have my brother here to share Thanksgiving with. He has luekemia and the odds were pretty strong that last Thanksgivng was going to be his last, but God had other plans. Don’t know exaclty how many more we’ll have, but everyday going forward I’ll be thankful. How’s that for an awesome God!
I am thankful for my husband, my 5 kiddos, my extended family, my church family, my health, my salvation and chocolate. Oh and that tomorrow I will get pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Yum!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
I’m thankful for friends and family who stand by me, no matter what’s happening. I’m an blessed!
I am so glad you did this post, its been mulling in my heart and head for a few weeks. Yes times are tough but come on God is still on the throne! AMEN!
I am thankful for……
dogs that love unconditionally, amazing children God has given us, parents that love and teach, a wonderful job, reliable transportation, a simple home that keeps us warm, amazing friends to care, and a Great Big God that doesn’t move even when I do..
Thanks, Pete! I’m grateful for Cross Point. I started going about this time last year. I can’t believe how much my life has changed in a short amount of time and I feel it would not be possible without Cross Point and all the wonderful people I have met through church and small group. Thank you for listening to God and bringing this church together. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving : )
Amen to that!
Happy thanksgiving, yall! We’re thankful for great bloggers like you and brandiandboys. Have a great trip and an amazing weekend!
I’m thankfor for….
-Friendships
-Jesus Christ
-My health
-My son
-My mother
-Vision
-Shelter
-Food
-Air
-My job
-My church
-Help when I need it
-Prayer
-Godly people
-Blogs like this one.
I have even more to be thankful for after reading through these comments!
I am thankful for my wonderful new husband, and also, I am thankful for God teaching me wonderful NEW WAYS that I never before thought could make a difference to follow him and live more like Him.
I am especially thankful right now for laughter, RobinRane, and Gitzengirl.
One good thing about living under a cloud of negativity for awhile is that eventually it makes you really search for and begin to recognize all the positive things in your life!
Every night when we say our mealtime prayers as a family, we go around the table and each person says one thing they are thankful for each day. You have to think ahead to be prepared, which makes you spend a part of each afternoon considering your blessings.
Tonight I could choose from the following:
-thankful I will get to spend at least one more Thanksgiving with my 88-year-old mom.
-thankful my husband took the day off today and we spent it together.
-thankful everyone in my family is basically healthy and able-bodied.
-thankful for the internet, which exposes me to wonderful positive people like you, Pete!
I am thankful for the usual: husband, kids, family, friends.
I am also thankful for the ability to walk, talk, hear, taste, touch, see. I am thankful for my house and my vehicle. I am thankful I live in the USA. I am thankful for the food in my fridge. Heck, I’m even thankful for my fridge. And my stove. I am thankful for running water. I am thankful for my cozy bed. I am thankful for shoes.
I am thankful I am able to carry a baby inside my body.
Heidi Reed
I did this a few days ago…
http://brunettekoala.wordpress.com/2008/11/24/thanksgiving-2/
@Heather, It’s stories like yours that make Cross Point such a special community.
I’m thankful for my sweet nose whistle skills.
Im thankful for:
My wife (of almost 20 years!!!)
My 16 year old, Luke who thinks im getting old (but I can still breakdance, YEP!!!!)
My 10 year old, Jacob, who still thinks im cool!
for my dog Fred
My weird dog Oliver
My spoiled dog Daisy
My stuck up cat, Abby
Im thankful for my hippy neighbor (she is a trip!!) in a good way
I’m thank ful for jesus Christ that he took my place on a cross and that he loves me no matter what (thats hard to wrap my warped mind around… nevertheless, im thankful for that!)
OH YEA… I AM THANKFUL FOR DUDES LIKE PETE WILSSON WHO ARE HISTORY MAKERS!
I am with you Pete. God is Good and has blessed us all!
http://tinyurl.com/6kvb8f
Hey Pete,
I am doing a “7 things I am thankful for” group-writing project on my blog. If you have no objections I would like to link to this post as part of that.
You can see the project announcement at: http://luke.gedeon.name/seven-things-i-am-thankful-for-a-thanksgiving-group-writing-project.html
Thanks
a successful business in a terrible economy.
I am most thankful to God and who he has placed in my path to help me grow. Crosspoint for bringing me closer to a personal relationship with God. For my childrens Step Mom – Patti, that if I could have hand picked her I would have. She is a GREAT MOM to my kids. To all my wonderful grandchildren and children. We are all so blessed. Thank you Pete for encouragement and friendship.
Hey Pete, I remember you enjoying my Labor Day Guide…here’s the Thanksgiving one. I hope you enjoy it just as much. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your Family.
http://drcorner.wordpress.com/2008/11/26/a-happy-thanksgiving-to-all/
I am thankful for my parents.
Without them I wouldn’t have the support that I need so very much.
Have a happy Thanksgiving
aw, man. i thought my “what i’m thankful for blog” for tomorrow was going to be original. on second thought… yeah, right – who am i kidding? it’s so important to be grateful. i’m sure that i overlook this all the time. i’m thankful for getting to meet you, pete, last week. thanks for the time and your work for the kingdom
I played along, in a different format on my blog. Come by and join the fun!
I’m thankful to be alive and able to type to post on this blog. Thankful to have the LUXURY of an internet connection, a computer, and a roof over my head. Thankful for the ability to love and be loved. Shoot… I’m even thankful for all the junk in my life.
An author I rep has a book which encourages people to impliment a “No Complaining Rule.” It’s not to say justified complaining is bad but that mindless, never ending complaining that slowly robs us of our joy. I love the concept.
I’m thankful my prayers were answered and God blessed me with the most wonderful husband this year. I’m also so thankful for my amazing family who exhibits unconditional love every day, and for my new family on Ken’s side. I’m thankful I’m finally feeling better after a long six weeks of feeling sick! Happy Thanksgiving!
@dana, I’m so glad you’re feeling better. I pray you and Ken have a wonderful first Thanksgiving together as a married couple.
I am thankful for God and how he is always answering even just the smallest of prayers, my husband, my precious Alec, my family, and that we have finally found a fabulous church home at Cross Point that isn’t going to “close.”
Hey Pete…Happy day to you, Brandi, and the boys. And, I’m thankful for my family, my wonderful kids, my wrestling match with God. Yep. I’m thankful for it. I’m grateful because it means I’m so very close to Him and seeking Him more than ever. I’m thankful that He loves me no matter how much I mess things up. He knows my heart. I’m grateful for the good and bad.
I’ve listed my things I’m thankful for here…http://tecthought.com/2008/11/26/project-seven-reasons-for-thanks/
Ran across yours from Luke Gedeon’s writing project.
Because of HIM
Scott
I’m thankful for my friends..my church, my family, not all in that order either.
Thanks for this blog, I really appreciate it and learning from all of the questions and posts too..thanks Pete and CPC
I am thankful for a God who gives you just what you NEED when you NEED it. I am thankful for a wife who has stuck with me through some crazy days. I am thankful for my great family, not perfect, but great. I am also thankful for all the many friends I have now and have had through the years.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
I’m thankful for so many things, but today I am most thankful that God continues to give me the opportunity to make a positive difference in this life through my family, friends and other people in the world. I am most thankful for the freedom to explore my spiritual journey and openly learn with others at such a great church. I am most thankful the the abundance life has to offer in spite of our needy disposition. I am most thankful for love and the light that surrounds us.
I am thankful for the way God always makes his presence known to me in so many different ways. I can feel the peace and know he is in control. I need that to get through the rough times. I couldn’t have survived several things if it weren’t for HIM.