. It is a simple phrase, but often neglected. "Thank you." Maybe we just assume that the other person realizes we are thankful. Saying thank you begins at home. When someone does even the smallest thing for you make it point to say “thank you.” This applies to what parents say to children and what parents say to each other, and to what children say to their parents and what children say to each other. Practice saying “thank you.” We can express thankfulness not only at home, but also at school, in the market place, and at work. We can express thankfulness whether or not anyone around us are thankful. Thanks-Doing means we pass it on to others. We give others the opportunity to feel appreciated, valued, and blessed like we have been blessed.
     Genuine gratitude is more than a feeling. It is an action. Thankfulness, is something that will always be expressed to someone. Therefore, do not hesitate to say “thank you.” As Christians we have an unlimited list of things for which to be thankful to God. It is God’s will for us to give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:18).  We give thanks for the good that happens when faithful people present to a sinful world, as best they can, what faith, hope, and selfless love look like by making it part of their lives.

Clark Tatum

​Volcanoes are interesting. They are mountains with a crust that are full of molten lava. Sometimes the crust is so strong and so thick that the molten lava is kept inside; but sometimes cracks form in the crust, and the molten lava will flow out. Now, if you'll pardon the illustration, we're like volcanoes in that there's a certain crust to our lives. There's conformity in our lives, but inside the crust of conformity is a molten mass called sin in all of us.
     There is in all of us a molten mass of disobedience to God. Now, the crust may be such in some of our lives that the lava rarely bursts out, but there will be times when it will. Sometimes a little religious crack will form in our thick religious crust, and guess what will come out? The lava of sin flows in all sorts of forms. There is the flow of pride; an unforgiving current; an unloving attitude; an independent attitude toward God; and other streams of disobedience to God. Sin needs to be forgiven by God, even if our sins are socially acceptable. You could have a list as long as your arms of socially acceptable lava flows, but the crust is not important; the lava is. Have your sins been forgiven?  See Acts 2:38 and Acts 22:16.

Clark Tatum