Thanksgiving...

I have been so busy this past week with appointments, daily routines and the cooking that I do ahead of time for Thanksgiving. My personality can be very task oriented, especially when I have added additional chores that have to get done. So, sometimes my focus can become a little skewed, a little off center. This time of year is where we pause to give thanks. If in the course of our rushing, we can't find time to think about what we are grateful for, then we are too busy. I sometimes need to stop and remind myself of that. If I am too busy to think about what I am thankful for, then, chances are, I am neglecting my relationship with God for "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

What are some of the things which I am thankful for? I am thankful for my family, my husband and my son. My mother who is living with us. My sister, her husband, their two children and their spouses, and their children. This will be our first Thanksgiving without our son, James, being home. It's been an adjustment for Mom (and I dare say Dad, too!) but, I am thankful that he will be spending it with family, cousins in Alabama. I am also very, very thankful that each member of our family, along with their spouses, has a vibrant, growing relationship with Christ Jesus! And, I'm thankful that my father has already met his Lord face to face! Another thing that I praise the Lord for is the faithfulness that Marsha and Vic exhibited in the rearing of their children. It was such an encouragement to Jim and I as we began our own parenting journey. Now, we are watching Claire and Bob as they rear their four boys, nurturing them in the things of the Lord, molding and shaping their character. What a joy it is to be around their children! And, what pleasure those big boys bring to us in their antics!

It has been neat to see how the Lord has worked in individual lives throughout this year. How He has answered prayers and petitions. Even through areas where it wasn't answered the way we thought it should be. Then, it was answered beyond our wildest dreams, proving once again that God knows far better what is best!

I have been thankful for our much needed moisture. After six years of drought all the rain was wonderful! And now we have already had snow with more expected tomorrow and Friday! I watched the sun rise this morning and I am always moved how gorgeous is the color and the light as it breaks over the mountains. If it is this beautiful this side of heaven, what must it be like on that side? I can hardly imagine! Most of the leaves are off, leaving barren branches in sharp contrast to the sky. The mountain tops are covered in snow, so beautiful against the sharp blue sky. Isn't it neat that even though we live in a sin affected world, God still allowed us to be surrounded by beauty?

Our freedom is a very precious commodity to me. I do not take it lightly. There are so many areas of the world where there isn't freedom, not only isn't there political freedom, there isn't any religious freedom. How I pray that more people would desire to know the freedom that comes from knowing and trusting Christ personally! Because, if one doesn't have freedom, whether politically, or in jail, etc. if they have Christ then there is no limit to their freedom!

I am also thankful that God did it all for me! And, once having done it all on the cross, He supplied me the power through His Holy Spirit to live a life pleasing to Him. He has given me His Word to encourage, to teach, to correct, so that I might know Him deeper, and also, that I may be equipped to share Him with others.