“Be thankful for the smallest blessing, and you will deserve to receive greater. Value the least gifts no less than the greatest and simple graces as especial favors. If you remember the dignity of the Giver, no gift will seem small or mean, for nothing can be valueless that is given by the most high God” (Thomas a Kempis).

I’d say that sometimes in hindsight, it’s those small or mean gifts that end up meaning the most. It’s those graces that we so often take for granted that mean the most when they’re gone.

If you find nothing to be thankful for, the fault lies in you and not in the day. There’s always, always something for which to give thanks, even if it’s waking up this morning or breathing in the next lungful of air.

As I’ve said before, never take anything or anyone in your life for granted, because sometimes what you take for granted gets taken away.

Give thanks early and often for as many days as you get on this earth.

That’s all.

In case you’ve been in suspense wondering where I am in my Doctor Who quest, fret not. I’ve finally made it to Peter Capaldi, the 12th doctor.

So far, I’m liking his incarnation. Truthfully, it’s a bit early to say for certain because I’m not even a full episode into the Capaldi era.

But I do like Clara Oswald. She reminds me a bit of Zoe from the Classic era with maybe a little Ace McShane thrown in.

This also means that I’m inching ever closer to the end of the quest. It will be a little bit sad when I come to the latest episode, but it also will mean the beginning of a new quest. Like maybe the Sarah Jane Adventures?

Who knows? But when I do know, rest assured that you will be among the very first to know as I keep you updated.

Yeah, after I all but predicted all the weather wackiness, all we got was rain. Not even a whole lot of rain. Just a moderate amount.

Not that I’m complaining.

I’d rather not have tornado sirens going off while I’m at work. I’d prefer not to drive through a monsoon if I can help it. I could live without straight line winds. Rain I can handle.

So far, the temperature has dropped from 75 to 48. As far as I can tell, it will continue to fall until it levels out at about 25. I think that covers at least 3 out of the 4 seasons at least.

I also acknowledge that I am no meteorologist. I suppose I’ll stick to my day job for now.

Or more accurately, let the crazy Tennessee weather continue.

A week ago, it was Arctic-level weather, hovering around the 20s. Today it’s been up to 70. Tomorrow, the high is 75 and the low will be 27.

I imagine there will be a few tornado sirens going off in the general Middle Tennessee region. Hopefully, far away from me. And hopefully with no actual tornados.

Here in Tennessee, you’re in luck. If you don’t like the current weather, you can rest assured that it will change. You can experience all four seasons in one week. Sometimes in 24 hours. At least it’s never boring around here.

Right now, I’m listening to a monsoon outside. I’m immensely grateful not to be driving in it. Nothing’s more stressful for me than driving in heavy rain at night (except maybe driving at night in heavy rain on two-lane roads with no shoulders).

Tomorrow I’ll be keeping an eye out on the weather app all day. It should be fun times ahead.

Every day it seems that I’m reminded just how precious and fleeing this life is. Every day I see that nothing beyond today is guaranteed.

The old saying goes that every day is a gift– that’s why it’s called the present.

Cherish the people you love. That means spending more time with them than on your smart phone or on your electronic device. That means picking up the phone and actually calling them like in the olden days. That means physically going to see them in person and having face-to-face conversations.

Oh, and one more thing. Every chance you get, be sure to say the words “I love you.” Don’t assume that people know. Don’t imply it or infer it. Say the actual words.

In the end above any amount of money or fame or possessions or prestige, what will matter are those you love and those who love you back.

I read something amazing about Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe. Specifically, it was about how Marilyn Monroe was an advocate for Ella Fitzgerald at a time when it would have been much easier to simply look the other way.

Here’s the story:

During the ‘50s, one of the most popular venues was Mocambo in Hollywood. Frank Sinatra made his Los Angeles debut at Mocambo in 1943, and it was frequented by the likes of Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall and Lana Turner.

Fitzgerald was not allowed to play at Mocambo because of her race. Then, one of her biggest fans made a telephone call that quite possibly changed the path of her career for good. Here, she tells the story of how Marilyn Monroe changed her life:

“I owe Marilyn Monroe a real debt … she personally called the owner of the Mocambo, and told him she wanted me booked immediately, and if he would do it, she would take a front table every night. She told him – and it was true, due to Marilyn’s superstar status – that the press would go wild.

“The owner said yes, and Marilyn was there, front table, every night. The press went overboard. After that, I never had to play a small jazz club again. She was an unusual woman – a little ahead of her times. And she didn’t know it.”

I firmly believe that every single one of us could use an advocate like that. Someone who will stand up for us and fight for us. Someone who will see us when others look past us and ignore us. Someone who will come to our aid.

In 1 John 2:1, we read “You are my little children, so I am writing these things to help you avoid sin. If, however, any believer does sin, we have a high-powered defense lawyer—Jesus the Anointed, the righteous—arguing on our behalf before the Father”

Did you catch that? We have an advocate in Jesus. We have a Great High Priest who never ceases to intercede on our behalf. If God in Jesus is for us, who can possibly ever be against us?

Remember that the next time you feel invisible or defeated or lost. Jesus is on your side.

I do so love me some biscuits.

I also love that God truly works all things together for good, and in the end, we get something better than anything we could ever have dreamed of.

Today was my church’s Serving Saturday. A number of us met up at the church building and either went to two locations to serve or stayed around the campus to do some upkeep and maintenance.

It may not sound like much, but those little touches make a big difference when someone comes to Ave South for the first time. Plus it frees up the ministry staff to spend time on actual ministry instead of building upkeep.

My day consisted of spreading out mulch in front of the building and wading through a mini-jungle in back to clear out litter and debris.

My reward was lunch at Holler and Dash with some ice cream from Jeni’s thrown in.

You may not be in a position currently to make a major impact on your world, but you can always do little things that add up to something great. Jesus said that as you are faithful in small ways, you will be rewarded with greater responsibilities and bigger avenues to serve. But you start small.

I’m a good kind of tired and my feet are a good kind of sore. It was a good Saturday.

I’m pooped. Officially and technically and in every other sense of the word, I’m super pooped.

But it’s a good kind of tired.

It’s not like that period when I didn’t have a job and felt exhausted from stressing out about not having a job.

It’s the kind where I put in a week’s worth of work and accomplished everything I wanted to get done.

It’s a good feeling when what used to seem overwhelming and scary now seems quite manageable. All it takes to accomplish a big task is to break it down into bite-site portions. Kind of like that book about eating a 747. You eat it one part a time (if you’re into that sort of thing, which I’m not).

Being unemployed will make you much more appreciative of having a job. Well, at least for me it does. I’m more and more convinced that you can worship at a desk in front of a computer from 9 to 5 as well as you can in a church building. Your praise can be as much doing your job well as it can singing songs about God to God.

In fact, people don’t care what your singing ability is if you don’t live the words you sing. They don’t care how fervent your church worship is if you don’t live out that same faith the other 167 hours of the week.

So at 10:33 pm on a Friday, I’m calling it a night. I know I’ll sleep good tonight.

In case you’ve lost track by now, today’s Thursday. You may be slightly disappointed to learn that it is not in fact Friday, or a tad elated to realize that it’s not Wednesday.

In case you’re one of those who have had a week of four straight Mondays, here’s a little something to pick up your day.

Think of it as a guide to networking (but not really):