Today is the first Sunday in Advent. Where in the world has the year gone?
Carve out some time during this Advent season to prepare your heart for the celebration of the Christ. Yes we’re to do that all year long but add some new aspect to our alone time with God. Add some praise, add some thanksgiving, add some intercession, or maybe just add some time listening for what God might be trying to speak to us.
Peace
Jim
Today, my sisters and I are celebrating Thanksgiving and Mom and Dad are on their way home. I think that one of the things I like the most about celebrating Thanksgiving two times is that the second time is usally the weekend after. While everybody else runs around frazzled on their shopping trips, my family is all holed up in a warm house cooking and laughing and this year trying to keep the under 4 year olds from bringing any harm to a 5 month old Grate Dane puppy…or the other way around, maybe…poor Phoebe!
Today, remember to take it slow. Remember that God has blessed us with so much already and that He has given us the ability and responsibility to bless others who have so much less than us.
This morning, the day after Thanksgiving, I came to McDonalds for a quiet cup of coffee and some time to read and post. I turned in to McDonalds with a full parking lot and People everywhere. My first thought was what in the world is going on…my second thought was, aha day after Thanksgiving sales…third thought, why are they at McDonalds at six in the morning instead of in the stores? Oh well, just a thought.
We had a good time visiting with family this week, but I am ready to get back home. We’re heading back in the morning.
Peace
Jim and Deb
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Have a good day today and be sure to thank God for our many blessings. Go back and listen to the youtube post from yesterday. That is the simple message of thanksgiving.
Peace
Jim
Webster says:
Thanks – an expression of gratitude; grateful acknowledgment of something received by or done for a person
Praise – to commend the worth of; express approval or admiration of; to laud the glory of God; praise is the simple, basic word implying an expression of approval, esteem, or commendation
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how to really say thank you to God for all He has blessed me with. I have really felt convicted in this. Several (MANY) things have come to mind - some I’ve acted upon and some I haven’t. Of course, doing what my dad would call “Kingdom Work” is at the top of my list. I really couldn’t name all of the things that I thought would be “active thanks”. I then realized that I was severely overthinking things… I could just…..praise Him. Yes!! (Sometimes the easiest things take the longest time to come to me…. I’ve been told that I overthink…)
Today I am thankful that I can praise God without fear of persecution. I am thankful that God showed me in His own way that I can praise Him to show Him how thankful I am for my life, my family, my friends, the list goes on and on and on.
We don’t have to be in a building on Sunday to praise God!! Let us praise Him together this morning in our living room/office/kitchen/whereEVER! Remember this song? It is simple but the theology is rock solid!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVzaMHrVZBc I think whoever that guy is, he made God seriously happy by posting that on youtube…
Disclaimer: I know that there is nothing wrong with a good turkey loaf. Turkey loaves have there own place in the world and people appreciate them and that is why they are made. If you eat turkey loaves, please enjoy my humor and don’t feel persecuted…I eat them too, but I do not try to feed a family of six with one of them…
Another disclaimer: Pops, I am not making fun of you. I love you dearly and am only telling the story in good fun and becuase it is the week of Thanksgiving and I fondly remember this story every time I see an inoocent little turkey loaf at the store this time of year.
One more disclaimer: I was fairly young when this happened so how I remember it may be a little off. I’m telling to the best of my memory here, people.
So the story goes…Dad is not much of a Turkey fan (as in a whole big turkey-bird sitting on the counter waiting on us to chow down). He used to not be. He may like them fine now. I’ve heard that a person’s taste buds change every seven years and it has been more than seven years since the “Turkey Loaf Incident”. Dad, if you’re reading this and you now feel differently about turkey, that is ok, too.
So Dad tells Mom, “Deb’r dear, I’m gonna get the turkey this year and I want you to make a LOT of conrbread dressing.” Dad loves him some cornbread dressing made by my mama. Mom raises her eyebrows and says, “You’re going to get the turkey? What kind of turkey are you getting?” Dad says (with a great excitement), “I’m gonna get a turkey loaf!” I’m sure that more conversation ensued at this point, but I don’t remember what it was, so we’ll skip ahead to when Dad gets home from the store.
Dad walks in the kitchen door with a Kroger bag (or some kind of bag) and proudly hands Mom the tiniest little half dark meat/half light meat turkey loaf known to man. I imagine Mom was thinking many things, but said not much and started the turkey…loaf.
Long story short, we sit at the table and admire the feast. A huge bowl of mashed potatoes, so much cornbread dressing you could feed the entire state of Tennessee with it, cranberries, green beans, sweet potatoes, and… the little turkey loaf that could. As it was sitting there on the plate, you could hear it going, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can ….feed six people”. And it did…we each got one piece and then some of another and ate dressing for DAYS after that… THE END
Today I’m thankful for memories of my family that make me happy. I’m thankful for plenty to eat and I’m thankful for the blessings God has heaped upon me just because He loves me…
What are you thankful for?? You can even tell us on this page! Go down to the big white box under “Comments” and tpye away. Go ahead, you know you want to. Drag your mousey arrow over to the ”submit” button and left click that baby when you’re done telling everybody what you are thankful for!! Yes!! I mean YOU!!!
I’ll tell you a story. Yes! That is what I will do. Here goes…
Our family has always done Thanksgiving together. Mom, Dad, Abby’s family, Betsy’s family, Monna, and Adam and I. Now, sweet Monna has her own family and we will be having thanksgiving at her house this year with two exceptions. Mom and Dad aren’t going to be there. Lemme give you some background.
Our family isn’t really all about the date - we are all about the day. We usually celebrate a lot of birthdays on one day. We get together for Christmas after Christmas when every single last one of us can be there. Occaisionally we hit Thanksgiving the day of, but that is pretty rare. It is hard to juggle all of the different in-laws and such and we just all want to be together at the same time, so our way works for us.
When I talked to my sisters after the parents told us the plan, we were all a bit mystified at how to proceed. Fish out of water, if you will. We all agreed that we should do it anyway…. This seems like a normal thing, but our family usually does NOTHING the normal way and Mom and Dad are just ALWAYS there. Always. Some discussion was needed among the sisters about what in the WORLD to do.
I’m thankful that my parents could be where they needed to be this Thanksgiving and my sisters are, too. (This post is NOT a guilt trip! – just a little insight into the life of the Fields girls.) What I’m super thankful for this year is that my sisters and I and our families are going to be together for Thanksgiving and that even though it could never be the same without our Sweet Daddy and Ma, we love each other enough to do it anyway…
on Saturday!!
Tomorrow: The Thanksgiving that Dad got the Turkey….LOAF….
Chuck Swindoll said:
“Faith is an action. That means that God’s blessings almost always lie on the other side of obedience.”
As I think about optimism this week that statement says a lot to me. If we are obedient people to God, God will in turn ultimately bless. Maybe not the minute we think he should but sometimes eventually. In the mean time our responsibility is to look toward God’s promises even during heavy stress.
Easy? Nope. Necessary? Yep.
Peace
Jim
Busy, Busy day today…other than that though, it ought to be just fine.
Peace
Jim
Its interesting that when you are looking for something how often you find it.
I’ve been paying attention to optimism the last few days (something I should do all the time), and I heard about a lady who was talking to someone I know. The lady was asked how she was doing, and the lady said, “Pretty good.” Pressed a little farther about her health she said that she had broken her foot, been down in her back, and she had been in the hospital for something, and then the lady said, “Other than that I’m doing fine.”
It seems to me that most of us would be much better served to live on the other side of “Other than that.” I mean we would be better off to live with an optimistic attitude because optimism breeds healthier minds, hearts and souls. I’m not sure there are statistics that back that up but common sense tells me that when we are looking on the bright side life is much more endurable.
Peace
Jim
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