Thanksgiving

Okay, okay! So I'm way behind times, but though I've been busy, I just couldn't let Thanksgiving go by unobserved by my blog.

So here it is: the classic American Thanksgiving. I tried to get a picture of the First Thanksgivng, but alas! I couldn't, so I hope ya'll like this one.

During the Thanksgiving season I was thinking about this passage:

Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1Th 5:16-18

Rather striking, isn't it, that thanksgiving is one of the few things that is stated as God's will for us?

So I was thinking of the things that I am most thankful for. At the top of the list is God's amazing grace choosing a me to be his own. If nothing good ever happened to me again, I would still be in everlasting wonder at His mercy. I'm so grateful for his Sovereignty in the valleys and mountains of my life and for his being my Rock through them all.

I have been blessed beyond all telling in my family. What more can I say? My sister is my best friend (see below), my mom is my hero, and my dad has given me so much. My extended family is always there for me and they add a little spice to life.

I have found some wonderful friends along the road of life. When we moved a dear friend gave us a print with these words: Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while and leave footprints in our hearts and we are never the same.
I'm thankful for the friends that have laughed and cried with me, for those that have challenged me, for those that have agreed with me and those that have debated with me (you know who you are). You have insured that I would never be the same.

I'm thankful for my life, my liberty and my happiness, and I am thankful for my homeland where I truly do have a freedom form want.

And to end on, here are some of the most apt thanksgivings ever penned:


1Ch 16:8 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.

Psa 30:4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

Psa 75:1Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.

Psa 79:13 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.

Psa 118:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.

Psa 119:62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.

Rev 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

Amen!

Robin and the minor prophets

I thought you would be amused by this exchange between Robin and myself this morning (which Robin allowed me to post, since I thought it was humorous).

Robin had just received a text message, and when I asked what it was about, the following dialog took place: “Cole just had a test on the prophets in Old Testament class.”

“Oh really? How did he do?”

“He said he did fine until he got to the minor prophets. I told him that they all get mixed up in my head too, which isn’t true but I was trying to make him feel better. Of course, I thought it was true when I said it, but after I sent it I thought ‘that’s not true, I know my minor prophets.’ ”
“Really,” I replied “so what is the major theme of Joel?” “Ummmm... Hum. I dunno. Why did you ask about Joel? Couldn’t you have asked about Lamentations or something?”

“Lamentations is a major prophet, it’s written by Jeremiah.”

“Oh yeah, but it’s so short, I get it confused with the minor prophets! But anyway, I remember the one who married the harlot. What’s his name again?”

“Somehow I don’t think that that would help on a test.”

“Sure it would, if it where multiple choice. Hmm, I do know about Jonah though.”

“Um, Robin, I think he probably answered all of the answers about Jonah correctly.”

Oh, probably so...” At this point she started to leaf through her Bible, than said with a rather bewildered look that is all her own: “I’m really convicted. I don’t know my minor prophets.”