Episode 43

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Published on:

28th Nov 2024

Thanks Giving

Happy Thanksgiving from South Africa (where no turkeys can be found to roast.) but... there is so much to be grateful for on this journey of life!

The Apostle Paul wrote, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thes. 5:18). 

In everything? Even in the terrible, no good , very bad days? How do we do that?

“We sometimes think that being grateful is what we do after our problems are solved, but how terribly shortsighted that is. How much of life do we miss by waiting to see the rainbow before thanking God that there is rain? …" Elder Uchtdorf

Transcript
Yeti X:

Sony Bonanni that is, is a zoo.

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Hello.

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To all of you listening to the

creative, spiritual journey podcast.

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I am Judy also.

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So known as sister Cooley.

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Julie here in the South

Africa Durban mission.

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Let me start again by

saying And my friends.

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That is, I am thankful.

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This episode is being

released on Thanksgiving day.

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2024.

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So happy Thanksgiving.

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Yeti X-1: And we haven't been able

to find a single Turkey to roast.

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Or.

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Cranberry sauce.

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So we've had it.

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Think out of the box and

do something different.

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Thanksgiving has always been my

favorite holiday because of the

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traditions and the food and gathering.

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During together as a family.

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Yeti X: As a child, we would

travel to Albuquerque New Mexico

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and spend it with our cousins.

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And as a mother.

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we would take our family up and cut down

our Christmas tree and the you winters.

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And today we started on the beach of

the Indian ocean and we drove back

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up to new castle to the mountains,

through the beautiful lush green.

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Fields of Africa.

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I even saw a kudu running.

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So there is still so much.

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To be grateful for.

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We are commanded.

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To give.

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Thanks in all things.

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This reminds me of a story of Corrie

10, boom, and her sister, Betsy.

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Cory N Betsy tin boon.

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were Christian women imprisoned

in the German concentration

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camps for helping hide.

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And escape, Jewish people.

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Cori N Betsy spent many

months in the camps.

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Ravensburger.

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I believe it was called,

which are horrific.

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And a place of death.

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Both women were afraid.

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But Betsy came to Corey one day

with an idea that might help them.

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She quoted the passage

from first Thessalonians.

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Give thanks in all circumstances.

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Cori quickly replied that she Could not

and would not give thanks for the fleas.

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Betsy reminded her that

she could give thanks.

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That the two of them were together.

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As most families had been split apart.

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Corey said she could give.

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Thanks for that, but not the fleas.

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Then Betsy.

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Reminded her that somehow the guards had

not checked her luggage and therefore

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her Bible had not been compensated.

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Cori agreed that she could

be thankful for that.

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But not the fleas.

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She could not, she said under

any circumstance give thanks

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for the pestilent fleas.

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But eventually Corey learned that

the only reason her and her sister

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had not been assaulted by the guards.

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It wasn't because the captors.

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We're so repulsed by the fleas.

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And that they would not

enter the girls barracks.

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Years later.

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Corrie 10 boom, reflected that

this is how she was taught to

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give things and all things.

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Because you just never know.

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Do you.

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You just never know.

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What it is in your life that you think

there's no way you can be thankful for.

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And it ends up being a blessing.

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What's interesting is the apostle

Paul wrote his admonition to give

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thanks at all times while he himself.

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Was a prisoner in prison

by the Roman authorities.

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So I love that.

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Being able to give thanks in all things.

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And I mean, thank heavens.

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We're not in a concentration camp.

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But to have that kind of heart,

that you could find things to

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be grateful for, even in prison.

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So the power of gratitude to turn around

uh, no good, horrible, very bad day.

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I've told you before, how.

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There.

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Times when the suffering that

we witness here, just even while

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driving through the townships.

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Can be such a.

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Weighing heavy on my heart.

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That I've learned to play this

game called turn it around.

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And when it starts feeling heavy.

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I quickly turn around

and look for the things.

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That I'm grateful for.

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I look for the beautiful

things and I speak them.

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I speak them out loud.

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Because I think it's

that power of gratitude

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Yeti X-2: I also think it

shows gratitude to our savior.

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Jesus Christ.

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Who time and time again, I have felt.

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Nose.

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Love's.

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And understands each one of those.

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Sons and daughters, my

brothers and sisters.

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knows where they are.

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Knows their suffering So I'm

so grateful in those moments.

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For our savior.

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Jesus Christ.

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Yeti X: Elder.

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Dieter F dork quoted and said, it might

sound contrary to the wisdom of the world.

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Suggest that one who is burdened with

sorrow should give thanks to God.

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But those who has set aside the

bottle of bitterness and lift

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instead, the goblet of gratitude.

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I can find a purifying drink of healing.

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Peace and understanding.

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But some might say, what do I have

to be grateful for when my world.

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World is falling.

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Falling apart.

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Have you felt that way?

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I have.

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It is easy to be grateful for things

when life seems to be going our way.

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Right.

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We love the sunshine and

the walk on the beach.

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But what, when those times, when, what

we wish for seems to be far out of reach.

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You're in the prison

here in that dark prison.

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And where are you?

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Oh, Lord.

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Could I suggest that we see

gratitude as a disposition.

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A way of life.

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Life that stands independent

of our current situation.

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In other words.

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President Dorf.

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Justine that instead of

being thankful for things.

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We focus on being thankful and our

circumstances, whatever they may be.

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We sometimes think that being grateful is

what we do after our problems are solved.

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After.

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The trial is over, but how

terribly shortsighted that is?

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How much of life do we miss?

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Uh, by waiting to see the rainbow

before thanking God that there is rain.

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In the book of Mormon,

the prophet Alma taught.

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Window rises in the morning.

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Let thy heart be full of thanks.

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And to God.

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I love that because I can't think of a

better way than a waking in the morning.

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With thoughts of gratitude.

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Prayers.

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Meditation.

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Of what you look forward to in the day.

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Day.

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What you can be grateful for.

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And in modern revelation.

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Relation and the doctrine covenants

section 78, verse 19, we read.

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He who received with all things.

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All things with thankfulness

shall be made glorious.

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And the things.

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That this earth shall be added unto him.

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Yea even a hundred fold.

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Yay more.

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There you go Ghia.

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That one's just for you.

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Yay.

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So to live in.

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Thanks, giving daily.

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And give thanks in all things.

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Okay.

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I want to shift here to the second part.

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Of Thanksgiving and

that is the giving part.

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Giving giving.

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Thanks.

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A giving heart gift giving.

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Giving a helpful hand, giving,

chase, giving up, giving in.

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Giving out advice.

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Giving a listening ear, giving birth.

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Giving back life-giving measures.

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I give away.

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We give praises to God.

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Giving.

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Uh, eight to the poor, we are commanded

to be giving and give said the little

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stream as it hurry down the hill.

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So what comes first?

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The receiving.

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With gratitude and thanks.

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Or the giving.

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It's like the chicken

and the egg question.

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Isn't it.

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It's a circle.

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I've come to believe that

it is a gift of the spirit.

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To be able to receive.

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And to give.

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Thanks.

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I have daughter-in-laws

that are great at this.

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It's giving.

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Thanks.

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Whenever we do something for him, I get.

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Well, when I was at home, I'd get,

thank you letters in the mail.

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Now I just get nice emails or texts.

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And Eric has.

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Uh, sane here.

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Whenever anyone says, thanks.

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He says, thanks for saying thanks.

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Not very many people do.

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Which is true.

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I believe it is a gift to be able

to receive and turn around and give.

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Thanks.

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And then to be able to give abundantly.

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Maybe without even receiving the things.

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I love the ham because

I have been given much.

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I too must give.

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We have so.

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so.

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much to be thankful for.

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But we have even more.

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To give.

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There is a scripture in Luke

chapter six, verse 37 and 38.

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Give, and it shall be given unto you.

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Good measure pressed

down, shaken together.

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And running over.

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Shall man give into your bosom.

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For, with that same

measure that you meet with.

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With all it shall be

measured to you again.

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So I want you to imagine.

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An old ancient market in.

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Jesus's day.

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And you have a basket.

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that you're going to have.

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Your wheat, your grain put into.

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And a good measure is the basket is full.

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But now.

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This person giving to you is

going to press down that green.

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And shake it together.

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So what it makes more

room for more to receive.

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Receive so much that it's running over.

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That has how the savior wants us to give.

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Good measure.

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Not cheating, not holding back.

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And maybe fluffing it up.

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So it looks like it's enough.

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But good measure, pressed down, press

down to make some more room shaken

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together, to make more room so more can

be poured in and tell it is running.

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Over.

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I can joyfully testify that you

cannot give a piece of bread to

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another, without our father in

heaven, giving you back a loaf.

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I have seen it.

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Over and over again.

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So I have for you.

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Uh, Thanksgiving gift idea.

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Hopefully.

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It's not too late.

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You'll hear this and be able to

do it today on Thanksgiving, but

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if not, save it for Christmas.

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write down those things.

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That you are grateful for.

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Think of your spouse, your

children, your best friend,

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someone that you love in your life.

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Even the fleas.

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Look beyond the obvious.

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Have I.

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I.

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used.

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To see.

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Write it down.

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Then number two.

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Gift it.

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Gift it.

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to somebody.

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Gifted to, to the person

that you wrote it about.

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I have started doing this.

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For birthday gifts.

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I've done it for years

for anniversary gifts.

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But gift.

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gift.

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it to someone, you know, where you

live in a world of such abundance.

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We don't need more stuff.

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But to be given praise and thanks.

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That's a precious gift.

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Okay, so write it down.

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Gifted number three.

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Say it out loud.

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There is something powerful.

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About hearing it.

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So if you're at a party, Or

you're at your Thanksgiving dinner

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or your Christmas Eve dinner.

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And you could read this

out loud, say it out loud.

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And then number four.

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Do it now.

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I don't wait.

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In fact, it doesn't even have

to be Thanksgiving or Christmas.

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Don't wait.

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So many times.

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We hear all the beautiful things about

people in a eulogy at their funeral.

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And I just always.

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Walk away.

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Hoping that they heard it in life.

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That they heard the thanks.

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And they heard.

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The I love you's and that.

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The honors and the praises.

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In this life.

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So don't wait.

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Life is so precious.

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And for all of you who are listening

in the United States of America.

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Erika God bless.

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bless.

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you.

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And enjoy some Turkey for me.

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and some cranberry sauce and candied yams.

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Ugh.

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That.

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That.

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just sounds so delicious and no.

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That I am so thankful for you.

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That you.

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come.

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come.

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and listen.

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Listen.

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To us.

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G N I know.

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That you have many choices in life.

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And that you chose right now,

this moment to be with us.

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We have so.

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so.

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much to be thankful for.

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Even the fleas.

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But we have even more.

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To give.

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Press.

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Down.

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Down.

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Shaken together.

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And running over.

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And I testify of these things.

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In his name.

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Our savior Jesus Christ.

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And.

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I will see you.

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on the trail.

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About the Podcast

Creative Spiritual Journey
one small, deliberate step at a time
We are all on a journey—a journey home to our heavenly parents. Any experienced traveler knows there are days you laugh and days you cry.

We aren’t here to tell you how to live—we are here to share how we live—how we survive, thrive, and even find joy!

The journey gets messy with rainstorms and sleepless flights but the hard times—the miserable times—those make the best stories.

And the vistas, the sunsets, the little birds outside the window—those are the reminders that God is in the details, he is aware of us, he has trod the path before.

The Creative Spiritual Journey Podcast is hosted by Judy and Ghia Cooley—two sisters in their wisdom years—who love the savior and are dedicated to making this journey one small, deliberate step at a time.

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