Green Dragon Tavern
A place to sit down with a couple of pints of ale and wax subversive.
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Some Thoughts on Practicing Thankfulness….
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Some Thoughts on Practicing Thankfulness….
Happy Thanksgiving, fellow Tavern Brothers and Sisters! The holiday season, from Thanksgiving to Christmas can be a difficult time for many. Our current economic, political, and spiritual situations aren’t doing much to help. In fact, I believe the terminal inundation of non-solicited throat punches that we endure on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis can be downright disheartening. The Bible has some interesting insights on the depraved state of mankind, and the reasons for said state….and it’s OK, I’m a trained professional, a real minister, though my title has been downgraded from “Reverend” to “Irreverend.” St. Paul the Apostle wrote: “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools,…” Romans 1:21-22 (ESV). Did you catch that one of the reasons for mankind’s current state was that they failed to “give thanks” to God. I’m a subscriber to the Bing Crosby school of mental health and theology. In the movie “White Christmas,” ol’ Bing sang to Rosemary Clooney, Irving Berlin’s classic, “…When I’m worried and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep, And I fall asleep counting my blessings. When my bankroll is getting small, I think of when I had none at all, And I fall asleep counting my blessings….” I’ve found it helpful when I start to get weighed down with the constant barrage of BS, to take a sheet of paper and just start listing all the things for which I’m thankful. Im thankful for things like in spite of myself, God loves me. For my wife, Trish, and ALL my children and grandchildren. For my true friends. For my dog. For my relatives and friends who have passed on, but who positively impacted my life. For truth, and a good source of it in the Thomas Paine universe. For all my great Tavern-mates and co-conspirators at the Green Dragon Tavern. For the food I had to eat today. For a good cup of coffee. For good liquor. For heat. For clothes and boots to wear. For traveling safety. For a car that runs today. You get the picture. Just look around wherever you are, and I’m pretty sure you’ll see something for which your life is better off with than not. But if the holidays or life starts to get you down, grab some paper and a writing implement, and just start calling to mind the things for which you’re thankful and physically write them down. Keep the list too. When you’re feeling alone in the universe, get the list out and read over it; add to it even. If depravity and God’s wrath falls upon the unthankful, then it’s not unreasonable to expect the opposite outcome for the thankful, is it not? Practice thankfulness! It’s good medicine…and Big Pharma can’t make a dime off of it. Once again, I’m thankful for all of y’all, even though I’ve not had the opportunity to individually shake your hands yet, but I’ve done so in my heart. There endeth the lesson! Happy Thanksgiving y’all. Bar’s open!
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4 Replies
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Thank you for this wonderful reminder. Blessings to you and yours. 😘
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Once again our Tavern bartender/pastor sheds the light on all the patrons! The first round is on me to all those who heed the pastor’s Thanksgiving wishes!
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Thank you for a beautiful reminder offered up with a solution that is simple yet highly effective! Happy Thanksgiving Dana to you & yours, may God bless us all.
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Happy Thanksgiving Dana! What an simple game plan you have for making it through Thanksgiving and all days! The irony is not lost. Thank you!
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