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 Post subject: Let's Give Thanks!
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Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:13 am +0000
Posts: 744
Location: Denver CO
Greetings to All...

In this season of Thanksgiving, we want to invite all Forum members - and hopefully those of you who are new to our Forum - to give some thought to what makes you grateful this year.

This effort is in conjunction with a special feature on our front page called Trending Now, which will be posted just before Thanksgiving; we hope to attract many of the site's visitors to join their voices with ours and share what they're grateful for, too.

Maybe you're happy just to read the posts on this thread. Happy to have you visit! We hope you might want to post a gratitude list of your own as well.

If you have never posted here before, but would be interested in joining the Forum, sign-up is very easy. Once you are signed up, there's no obligation to post; but you may discover that the Forum is a great place to chat with Urantia Book readers, both new and seasoned. We are a polite and courteous group, and you are warmly invited to wade in.

So, give it some thought...let's make a joyful noise to God for his amazing generosity!

Then [Jesus] quoted from the Scriptures: "I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify him with thanksgiving." 146:2.16
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 Post subject: Re: Let's Give Thanks!
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Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:09 pm +0000
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This is a great idea and an excellent opportunity so thank you MaryJo for getting it off of the ground. I don't think I've ever actually sat down and given thought to what I'm truly thankful for until now. If this were a routine activity for me my list would be shorter, but I think I have a lot of catching up to do.

The Thanksgiving holiday is truly an American event although it's been adopted in various other countries too mostly as harvest festivals whereas the American event was originally religiously based. The first European settlers to North America were escaping persecutions of various sorts, a major one being religious persecution and the majority of settlers had strong religious convictions. Their natural inclination was to give thanks to God for their new found independence and freedom and the observance continued in that vein for several hundred years.

I think that today our culture is drifting away from its religious underpinings. Those who profess faith tend to say they're more spiritual than religious. And there are strong beliefs that religion in any form should not be expressed in American culture. But for those who do feel a spiritual or religious connection to our Maker this season of Thanksgiving gives us a great opportunity to voice our appreciation for the good things God has bestowed upon us.

My thankfulness list includes:
Having been born on this planet. There are countless other worlds that could have been better or worse but earth is my beautiful home and I'm thankful for being here.
Having been born in the USA. There is no country on the planet where I'd rather be.
Having been born in this age. I could have been born at any time in the past or in the future; I'm thankful I'm here, now.
Having been born to loving parents and having a healthy and secure upbringing.
Having been gifted with good heredity, health, and a spiritually inclined and inquisitive mind.
Family and friends and forgiveness by those who know me.
Having had a fulfilling career.
Having been introduced to The Urantia Book twice.
Having God in my life since I was 5 or 6 and having Jesus in my life since 1975.

In broad terms those are some of things I want to express great thankfulness for today.

Best wishes,
Larry
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 Post subject: Re: Let's Give Thanks!
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Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:13 am +0000
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Larry, that's a great list! THANKS!

As a Urantia Book reader/believer - as a grateful child of God - I have begun to think more deeply about the underlying idea of thankfulness, and I am glad that we have a day, and a season, when we can express and share our heartfelt sentiments to God for his unspeakable generosity.

For me, it's been a year of opportunity for increased faith in God. That's not always easy, but the end result is that I feel overwhelmingly grateful to God for his faithfulness to me and his sure and steady guidance through life on this troubled world. I know that when I turn to him and lay my burdens down at his feet, I am always helped. I am so grateful.

I thank him for keeping me safe and protected ("Safe thus far!")
for helping me to think correctly when my mind is muddled
for always being right there for me
for a warm home and good food
for the love and support of friends and family
for the means to live a simple, comfortable life
for good health
for opportunities to serve
for kindnesses shown to me
for the birds and the flowers
for opportunities to get out into the majesty of the Master's creation and appreciate his handiwork
and for the great blue book that we all share that is always a fount of inspiration and wonder.

I believe that an attitude of gratitude is a good way to face each day...when I can acknowledge what I have and be grateful for it, it seems to open the door for even more to be thankful for...

MaryJo
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 Post subject: Re: Let's Give Thanks!
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Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2003 8:59 pm +0000
Posts: 206
Location: North Dakota
A couple of weeks ago I found myself talking with an individual about the path to spiritual perception of things and in that conversation the concept of disillusionment, confusion, pain of failure, the agony of unrealized dreams, the challenges of facing our constant stream of failures as we learn to focus on our goals and on and on, came about. As if overwhelmed, the young lady said, "What has God done to help us deal with such a huge amount of sorrow?"

I sought very deeply for just a moment, seeking an insight from my Father. Suddenly I blurted out "Healing, God has supplied us with the amazing ability to heal."

The young lady's response was as if she was hit by a bolt of lightning. "Of course", she said.

I am thankful for the amazing gift of healing.

Jim
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 Post subject: Re: Let's Give Thanks!
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Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 8:45 pm +0000
Posts: 94
Location: Palmdale, California
Hello fellow followers;

First and foremost I am thankful for my parents. A loving Father and a strong influential Mother. Four brothers who I am close to-- all of which are healthy, have kids and are each doing well.

We grew up in Simi Valley California which, at the time, was a "bedroom" community of suburban families. During the 1960's I had the opportunity to know many families in our Catholic church who shaped our lives in positive ways. So, I am very thankful for growing up where I did, the way I did. The Catholic church gave me a great religious background that grounded me throughout my life.

I am thankful for two strong daughters, college graduates-debt free (my ex and I put them through all expenses paid) who both have great careers and bright futures. And also my ex and her husband, who I am close to and get along with very well-I am there for them if they need me and they have been there for me (like when my mother passed) when I needed them, many times actually.

I am thankful for my roommates, some who have come and gone, who look after my home when I am away trucking. Who also are my friends that I can bounce my troubles off of and vise versa.

I am thankful for my nieces and nephews who I am close to and who inspire me.

I am thankful for a challenging workplace that keeps me on my toes and provides for me a good amount of adversity so that I am growing, maturing.

I am thankful for a life that keeps bringing me difficulties to confront, that keeps putting people in my path that give me answers to prayers, opportunities to bring forth fruits of the spirit, however small or seemingly insignificant.

I am thankful where I am spiritually, that I have this and other communities that can minister to me, what I need when I need it.

I am thankful for the many people who come into my life, some who come and go to serve a temporary purpose, some who are there to stay for long spells, some who have left me on less that positive terms. Because regardless of the outcome at the time, looking back, I have even my so called enemies to thank for making me stronger today.

I am thankful to be here on this backward planet because I believe it is a place of tremendous growth and I can feel it has been that way for me and those who I have known.

That is most of what I am grateful for and in particular I am grateful to God for life, no matter how bad at times I know I have God there as my comfort when life gets hellish.


Thanks for letting me share

Paul
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 Post subject: Re: Let's Give Thanks!
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Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 4:24 am +0000
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I am thankful that I have been able to witness this epic battle between Christ and antichrist here on Urantia, and in some small way help Christ prevail over the evil oligarchs and their oil companies and dirty politicians.

I am thankful for the Urantia Book that contains the science that is the "Black Arrow" that will bring down the dragon.

gray
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 Post subject: Re: Let's Give Thanks!
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graybear13 wrote:
I am thankful that I have been able to witness this epic battle between Christ and antichrist here on Urantia, and in some small way help Christ prevail over the evil oligarchs and their oil companies and dirty politicians.

I am thankful for the Urantia Book that contains the science that is the "Black Arrow" that will bring down the dragon.

gray


I'm very interested your perspective here, graybear. Rather than derailing this thread that is about giving thanks, I have started a new thread in Abner's Corner to explore this further.
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 Post subject: Re: Let's Give Thanks!
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Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2008 6:00 pm +0000
Posts: 656
Location: Savannah GA
I am thankful for my short and exciting life here on strife torn Urantia. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be! I am thankful for the roller-coaster ups and down of the politics of the United States, its amazing to watch. I am thankful for the tottering on the brink of disaster in world politics, its an epic time to be alive! I am thankful for the waves I have caught and hope for a few more outside sets before I kick out of this life. I am thankful for my family and friends, will be looking for you on the other side. I'm even thankful for Truthbook, it is nice to finally have a chance to express myself on my religious feelings.
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 Post subject: Re: Let's Give Thanks!
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[list=]Just yesterday I was with a long time friend who told me he had been diagnosed with lung cancer with no warning other than a nagging cough. Two week's ago a friend was crippled by a major leg industry and will be down for 3 months. Every day I give thanks for my continued good health. I volunteer at hospice primarily because I am afraid of death and want to become more familiar with it so I am not afraid. I give thanks for each patient I see and thank them for their bravery, fear and love. I thank God for my family and friends. And especially in these trying political times, I am thankful for all those truly spiritual men and women speaking up and exposing sexually predatory behaviour and child molestation when 'Christian' values have been used to excuse such behaviour for most of my life time.[/list]
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