What is my THANG

What are you known for? What is your “thang”, that thing that identifies you? Something you are really great at… Do you spend time with your great group of friends looking at the “great” things about them?

To the church at Colossae — a group he never met in person — Paul says, “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people — the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel” (Colossians 1:3-5, emphasis added).

Paul wasn’t overly emotional. Yet he exudes joy though, when writing about the beautiful traits found in this group of believers: their faith, love and hope. It was what they were great at.

What you see - great things in others - do you ever tell them? I am thinking today is a great day for just that. Now I have lots of family & friends so I can’t begin to mention all of them but I’ll do some…

Let’s see I’m going to start with my daughter, she is so artistic, all things beauty in her world. She makes the world beautiful just by being in it but then she decorates it too. She has a knack for seeing things with an artistic eye and she gets me to see things that way too. It’s lovely and warm, makes things lovely.

Next will be my little ladybug – my granddaughter. All things are new to her and she takes great delight in experiencing everything. Now to us a bite of biscuits and gravy may seem very much every day but to my granddaughter it is a delight, it brings a smile to her face. I LOVE seeing the world through her eyes, fresh and new with so much possibility. As an older person I really love this and take great pleasure in spending time with her so I can view the world from her perspective because it’s really refreshing, especially biscuits and gravy!!

Now my Sisters, “L” is loyal, she will be your backup everyday all day and never be sorry for it. She is a forever friend. I think there’s a photo of her next to loyal in the Webster’s. Next is “C”, she is someone who would give you the shirt off her back if you needed one, she loves deep too. She never takes the easy road and doesn’t complain. (BTW she just got Baptized this past weekend so YAY – y’all celebrate with me for this one), next is “K” (my SIL) she is a gentle, kind person who loves to laugh and just get along with any and every one, she is a thinker too, you just know she gives everything good thought and consideration so when you want her opinion it’s a good one. Last, but certainly not least is “H”, she struggled some as the youngest of the six of us to find her place in the family and has done a fine job of cementing her position as a great sister and friend. After our Mom passed away, the six of us sat on the deck pondering – what’s next – see you’d never know it but we are a blended family, there are yours, mine and ours so now that Mom was gone the dynamic “technically” changed. She was the first to speak up about it – Nothing changes - she said and we all instantly knew and agreed with her. She is related to all of us because she is the “ours”, so she has something to lose by us going our own way – not being part of this family - but the love that was embedded in her and in all of us about family and the way our parents elected to raise us as ONE family not divided by his or hers pushed her to speak her heart that day, I am grateful she did so, we all needed to hear it and feel it.

Now I have friends who I could mention and mention some great traits in them, some who could pray the paint off the walls, some who are fun to go to movies with because they will share your popcorn, some who you can talk to for hours on the phone about anything from Apples to Zebras, some who you can see or talk to after a long pause and never lose a beat in catching up. I have some really amazing friends. I count myself amazingly blessed that God picked each of them for me, each bringing something unique of themselves and great to my life and I’m very sure the lives of those they touch daily.

I remember once in Hometeam we did an exercise, the topic was look at the people in our group and if they passed away you need to write their obituary. The lesson was meant to show people how sometimes you might be surprised to know what others see in you that you may not see in yourself. Great things that are really a gift. I remember being pleased about how this turned out because many were so touched by the words they kept them.

Everyone wants to be good at something, to be known for a special thing they do or how they are, what they bring to the party. So what is your THANG?? Have you celebrated that lately? Do you know other people that need to be celebrated for that THANG too? Why not do it!

I have not mentioned myself here, my thang – I am an encourager, I have a heart for encouraging others, I believe it is a gift from God and that I am supposed to use it while I am on this Earth to love on His people. My people, all people. I have chosen a forum to do so by writing, these devotionals are meant to offer encouragement to all who read them. That is my prayer anyways. I sincerely want to see, spread and bring love to others.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Today I thank you for the gifts you bring to us, I pray that each person reading this if they don’t know that gift that You show them what it is You know they can do and do well. That You help them celebrate that great gift from You. Let us all find a way to promote peace and love and to celebrate the things that bring us together instead of what parts us. In the name of Jesus we pray – Amen.