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Giving Thanks
 Thanksgiving. Giving thanks.
I have come to the conclusion that there is a difference between being thankful and giving thanks. What do you think?
Last Sunday morning at Breakfast Club we talked about the story of the ten lepers found in Luke, Chapter 17. They stood along the road, these men with smelly, contagious sores on their bodies, and when Jesus walked past they called to him, asking him to heal them.
And he did. All ten lepers were healed on the spot. Wow.
Now I'm sure they were all very "thankful" for their new-found health! But, interestingly, only one of them went back to thank Jesus personally. Scripture says the one leper returned and "...threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him..."
Then Jesus said something interesting to him. He said, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." The word for "well" in this verse is sozo in the Greek, often translated as "whole." The literal meaning, according to Young's Translation, is "to save."
All ten men were healed; but it seems this one man received wellness beyond the physical. He received a wellness that saved him and made him whole. And when did that happen? When he bowed at Jesus' feet and gave thanks. Perhaps this "giving thanks" triggered a deeper dimension of his faith that released wholeness and wellness to all of his being in a far deeper way than just the physical healing that occurred.
So it would seem there is something about the actual giving of thanks that is important for us. Maybe that's because being thankful is an attitude--a passive stance, while giving thanks requires something more from us. It requires action on our part. We need to speak it out loud, or write a note, or even throw ourselves at Jesus' feet.
The Bible is full of encouragements for us to give thanks, not just be thankful. It looks like giving thanks is a necessary part of living life to the fullest, an essential part of living well and becoming whole. A good thing for us to ponder on this day of thanks.
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." Psalm 107:1
Happy ThanksGIVING!
Greg
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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26: Monday Night Class
This week we wrap up our series on Relationship Wisdom by talking about vulnerability. What often prevents us from being vulnerable in our relationships is that insidious thing called shame. We have another brief video clip by relationship researcher, Brene Brown. We showed the first one three weeks ago and people really enjoyed it; it prompted a lot of good discussion and reflection.
No potluck tonight, but bring a snack to share if you want. Class starts at 7:15 PM.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
MONDAY NIGHT, DECEMBER 3:
Holiday Dinner and Christmas Service
Put it on your calendar! Everyone is invited to gather together for our Holiday Dinner and Christmas Service at Peace Lutheran Church in the Fellowship Hall. This is open to all those who are part of our community, both past and present. Please come. We'd love to see you! Carrie & Bill are roasting turkey and ham; potatoes, gravy and rolls will also be provided. You bring a side dish, salad, or dessert. Bring your food in a serving dish between 6:30 & 7:00 PM.A Christmas program & service will follow. On this evening we will take a special end-of-year offering for Life Discovery. During the service we will be delegating a portion of the offering for those in need this holiday season. Come with a heart ready to honor the newborn King! SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 15: An Evening of Splendor! Singles Christmas Dance
7 - 11 PMThe Lakes Ballroom, PeoriaTickets: $20.00 per personHors d' oeuvre and Dessert bar For Info Call:Carol at 602-348-7563 or Sandy at 623-581-0499Put on your dancing shoes and come enjoy this festive occasion! Tickets can be purchased online at www.lifediscoveryministries.org
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ON-GOING MINISTRIES
 TUESDAY EVENING, November 27th, 6:30 PM
Community Church of Joy - Meet in the Church Lobby 21000 N 75th Ave, Glendale On Tuesday, Nov. 27th, we will have a special class called, "Rebuilding Trust, Looking Toward the Future." Trusting again is an issue that many of us struggle with as we move forward and look toward future relationships. This class will be taught by Greg Olson and is open to all. Our next 13-week DivorceCare Series begins on Tuesday, December 4th. Be sure to let your friends and family know. Call Jerry for more info at 623-972-7651. | 
