Thanksgiving 2014

It is Thanksgiving Day 2014 and it has, in so many ways, been the best day I’ve had in a long while. I feel much better after having spent five days in the hospital for more congestive heart failure issues a couple of weeks ago. I am definitely on the mend, losing water weight and feeling better every day. 

My entire immediate family- wife, three daughters, two sons-in-law and seven grandchildren are here in our beautiful home that God gifted us with in April 2011. Everyone pitched in to provide a wonderful family meal that we will be eating for several days. Heather prepared the turkey and dressing, I made gravy, cranberry sauce and several pies, Holly and Bryan brought deviled eggs and candied yams. Costco provided some of the bounty which makes meal preparation easier. Everyone else pitched in to put it all together to get the house all cleaned up before dinner. Linda did the lion’s share of the cleaning up before and after. It was a fun and relaxing day. There was lots of laughter and love to go around. There were also tears as Daniel was here in in our thoughts as we remembered him. The day was wrapped up watching White Christmas on Netflix. 

I have so much to be grateful for- family, friends, material possessions, a great church family, but most of all the One who has granted me all this, God the Father, through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ. I am so happy that He lifted me out of the muck of life and sees me as his son, his little boy. It is my hope that I will not just think about how much God loves and blesses me on this one day of the year, but that I’ll constantly attempt to be thankful daily. Such is becoming easier for me to do as I mature and slow down to ponder His greatness and majesty. As  a younger man I was mostly too busy to pause and think of these things. Thank you, Father for working on me and not giving up on me. Use me, Lord, to tell others of your mercy and love so that those who I cement contact with can also be there on the greatest Thanksgiving Day of all when you take us to heaven to be with you for eternity.

I want to end this post with a prayer by A.W. Tozer which I ran across on Randy Stonehill’s Facebook page earlier today:


"O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, that so I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away." Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long. In Jesus' name, Amen"

Comments

Dennis Judd said…
Your blog so much reminded me of the words in the Hymnal "It is Well with My Soul". The Hymn was written by Horatio Spafford. After losing a son with Scarlet fever and losing a fortune in the Great Chicago Fire, he and his family planned on going to Europe. He sent his wife and daughters ahead because of business and would join them later. The vessel ran into another in the Atlantic and sank rapidly. Only his wife survived. On his way to meet his wife, he stopped the ship at the spot where the vessel went down carrying his family. It was here that he penned such beautiful words.

"When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,
It is well, it is well, with my soul."

There can only be one way that Horatio Spafford could pen these words after such losses. A peace that only comes from God. You too, have found that strength. God has given you His peace and strength. It doesn't change the circumstances. But it does change how we go through the tough times in our lives.

Take care my friend
November 28, 2014 at 8:28 AM
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