Thanksgiving

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever," (1 C'hronicles 16:34 NIV).

Today I pause to give thanks for the blessings in my life. It is always easy to grumble about our situations, rather than look for the good things; the things that make us smile. Today, we must think about our blessings and be thankful.

I'm thankful for my husband who shows so much patience with me. He blesses me daily with his sense of humor and his ways of showing love to me. I am so thankful for the 46 years we have together.

I'm thankful for our family: our two sons, our daughter-in-law, our six grandchildren, my sisters and their husbands, John's sister and brother, for our nieces and nephews, and our two aunts. I'm thankful for our parents' legacies and the memories of them we cherish.

I'm thankful for my friends who encourage me and comfort me and make me laugh; whom I in turn try to encourage, comfort and make laugh.

I'm thankful for the beauty of the world God created for us to enjoy. Though the landscape here is now rather barren and ready for snow, I'm thankful for the delight of falling leaves in the wind, the structure of the trees, the geese and birds that remain, and the gray/blue sky overhead.

Thank you, God, for the blessing of a country where we have the freedoms of religion, of speech, of the press, of assembly, of petition and more. Thank you for our leaders who exhibit qualities worthy of respect and for our servicepersons who give up so much to serve their country.

Thank you, God, for.the harvest bounty and the amazing productiveness of Iowa's beautiful land.

"I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High," (Psalm 7:17 NIV).

Happy Thanksgiving.

We Gather Together

"What a beautiful thing, God, to give thanks, to sing an anthem to you, the High God! To announce your love each daybreak, sing your faithful presence all through the night, Accompanied by dulcimer and harp, the full-bodied music of strings," (Psalm 92:1-3 MSG).

It is Thanksgiving week. My heart is full of rejoicing as we celebrated our Thanksgiving yesterday. We were missing two of our "Iowa" family (Omaha included) whom we missed, one because of illness and one because of a first league volleyball practice. Those who gathered included my three sisters. It has been many years since the four of us were together to celebrate thanksgiving so it was a special day.

Even as we gathered to celebrate thanksgiving, there was among us that couldn't be ignored. One of my sisters just lost her husband in July and is still grieving. She misses her husband so much, especially at night when all is quiet and alone. Another sister is grieving in her own way, the weakening of her husband as he ages ahead of her. Life can be difficult.

Yet, there is thankfulness for sisters and family who love deeply. For parents who raised us with faith and strength in spite of their own grief over losing their only son. Their faith remained strong, and their dedication to God was unfailing. For family that is far away but close in heart. For beautiful days of fall and changing weather patterns in Iowa.

My heart sings, full of thankfulness:

"We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing; He chastens and hastens His will to make known; The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing, Sound praises to His name: He forgets not His own. Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining, Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine; So from the beginning the fight we were winning: Thou, Lord, wast at our side, all glory be Thine! We all do extol Thee, Thou Leader triumphant, And pray that Thou still our Defender wilt be. Let Thy congregation escape tribulation: Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free! Amen.
(Netherlands folk hymn, Nederlandtsch Gedenckelanck, 1626, Arr. by Edward Kremser, 1877).

May your week be filled with gladness and thanksgiving as you prepare to gather together. Amen.

Thankful for God's Protection

Thank you, God for Your Protection.

A few years back I was afraid to drive on the freeway or interstate. I was used to mild country roads so the presence of a crowd of cars around me was intimidating if not fear provoking. So when forced to drive on these roads I would always pray over the steering wheel before I started out, "Please God protect all those around me from my driving mistakes. Make me aware of what I need to see and keep me alert. Keep everyone around me safe."

I know God protected me many times on those driving trips but one of the first especially sticks out. I had just taken an entrance ramp to the freeway when I realized there was no where to go. It was rush hour in Des Moines and this inexperienced driver was in the midst of it. It appeared that traffic was flying by and no one was letting me in. All I could do was keep driving in the on-ramp lane and soon it became an off-ramp lane and I was leaving the freeway. (Much to my relief). I continued to a stop sign where I saw it was a familiar road we had driven many times. I knew my way out of Des Moines. Many would say this was a coincidence but to me it was all God.

There have been many more situations where I know God was there in the driver's seat with me. He has alerted me to blind spot traffic and gotten me over black ice safely. God is so good.

"Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?" Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety," (Psalm 4:6-8 NIV).

Or enjoy the modern version:

"Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say. "More, more." I have God's more-than-enough. More joy in one ordinary day Than they get in all their shopping sprees, At days end I'm ready for sound sleep, For you, God, have put my life back together," (Psalm 4:6-8 MSG).

Praise be to our God for His protection. Amen.

Give Thanks

With Thanksgiving Day approaching it is a perfect time to pause and reflect on some of the blessings I have received during the past year. Last Thanksgiving we had most of our family together for a big meal. We enjoyed spending the day together and probably watched some football, played some pool, and took time to thank God for our blessings. Though it seems like it is all about the food, there is a greater appreciation of being with each other, sharing stories and laughter and sometimes tears.

We ooh and aah over the food, trying each new dish and sharing recipes. We savor the fragrances that rise up from the buffet and belabor the tastes that are so pleasing. We soak in the new details and rejoice with those who have good news. We tease and praise and hug each other. We review pictures
and remember moments that have passed.

Time spent together is the most precious of moments. The cheering at ball games or soccer meets or music events, is only a reflection of the love that fills our hearts every hour of every day. The conversation shared during a car ride can bless a heart over and over again. We anticipate future plans and realize how quickly the time passes.

There were blue skies and rain showers, snow storms and hot winds. There were wonderful hugs and smiles and tears of sadness, too. God watches over each minute and gives us blessings and strength. It is time to remember all of the good that we have experienced and Who our blessed redeemer is.

"Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced," (1 Chronicles 16:12 NIV).

Give thanks to the Lord. Amen.

The Season to Give Thanks

Thanksgiving is just around the corner but already the stores are bursting with Christmas displays. Before the hustle and bustle of the December holiday takes over completely, I want to take time to give thanks. There is so much to be thankful for. Today I want to start with my Creator and give thanks to God for who He is.

"Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land," (Psalm 95:1-5 NIV).

Nature has always spoken to me of my God. I love to sit in His presence and soak in the stillness of being with Him. The beauty of His creation speaks to me of His power, His artistic ability, His wondrous works. Each person He has created holds beautiful potential, given by God. Even the sheep running through the cornstalks are His. What a wonderful world we have been given to live in and care for.

Traveling the United States provides so much incentive to give praise. We have observed the beauty of Utah's national parks, each so different and breathtaking in their own way. We've seen the tall monstrous trees of Northern California and the cactus-covered deserts of Arizona, the red rocks of Sedona, and the lake-covered beauty of Minnesota. The oceans of our coasts and gulf speak with waves of His glory, and the cornfields of Iowa shout out God's greatness in swaying leaves. How amazing.

"Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care," (Psalm 95:6-7 NIV).

Thank you, God for all Your Creation! All of it reminds us of You and we give You our praise. Amen.

Remembering the Brave

Veterans Day 2019

Today we remember our brave soldiers who have protected and defended our country since its inception. Thank you, all Veterans for serving your country so bravely. Thank you for accepting the commitment, no matter what and for giving your time, your energy, your skills, your life for your country. Thank you for the inconvenience to your family, the worry it caused, and the dedication you gave. Thank you for loving America and proudly representing each of us, where ever you go. Thank you, Veterans and families of our lost.

To remember all of the conflicts our Veterans have served in is too overwhelming to comprehend. Those who served during war times have seen unspeakable things, too terrible to share. Many of our Veterans continue to suffer long after their active service. And I would guess most of them do not get the help they need. They suffer in silence.

Let us take time today to say a prayer for all Veterans and say thank you to all who have served. I'm proud of you and so very thankful for your willingness to dedicate your life to your country.

"Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Remember...," (Deuteronomy 4:9-10a NIV).

God's Word in my Heart

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you," (Psalm 119:11 NIV).

This scripture and others remind me of the importance of knowing God's Word. I am one who struggles with memorizing so when a friend suggested a help, I was quick to jump on her idea. She makes a packet of notecards with scriptures on each one. A person only has to flip through the cards to find a verse to focus on, or I can go through the verses and read and reread verses so they become familiar and hopefully one day become a memory verse.

I'm giving it a try. The nice thing about the cards is their portability. I can take them with me for car rides or other long moments of time and work on the verses. I found I have so many verses I would like to memorize that I keep adding more to my notecards.

Hiding God's Word in my heart, is perhaps a lofty goal, for me especially, yet it is definitely worthy of attempting the blessing of knowing scripture. I want to know the Word deep in my heart so the verses come to me automatically.

Psalm 119 is all about God's Word. "Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart," (Psalm 119:2 NIV).

"I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word," (Psalm 119:15-16 NIV).

Today is a good day to hold God's Word in my heart.

At The Starting Line

Last night I had a dream about running a race. I went through five or six false starting lines and we kept moving forward. I was afraid I wouldn't recognize the official starting line. I was afraid I would be running last because I hadn't run a race before. I wasn't in condition; I had not practiced. I didn't know how to stand to start the race.

It was a nightmare.

I woke up to the alarm. Disappointed that I don't know how the dream ended. Relieved that I didn't know how it ended!

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."    
(1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NIV).

Scripture even tells us how to run! It's amazing what you can find in the Good Book. It is a resource for life.

So what race are we getting ready to run? Whatever it is we are to prepare ourselves, our bodies, so we can run with courage, energy, and knowledge; getting ready for whatever life brings us. Have we studied the Bible today? Have we stored up scripture in our memories so we can face any challenge that lies ahead?

Today, let's go forward to the starting line, ready for the race of life, with God at our side.