We have just celebrated the wonderful holiday of Thanksgiving. Many of us have traditions around holidays. These traditions are nice because we know what to expect and we can look forward to them. One of our traditions is that each year we celebrate either Christmas or Thanksgiving with our children and their families. We alternate years, so this is the year our children spent Thanksgiving with the in-laws and then they plan to spend Christmas with us. So we had a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends this year. Since many caregivers want to be with their own families on holidays, that means that Lynn and I are able to have some nice and rare time alone. We were able to have a nice date and dinner together on Friday night.
Why would I talk about Thanksgiving after the holiday is over and we are now in the Advent season? It seems to me that thankfulness is central to the Christian experience. I know we might generally tend to be thankful for good things that happen to us. We had a "good" day. We got a "good" job, or in these times, we are thankful because we "have" a job! We are thankful for the good friends we have, and our family. Nothing wrong with being thankful for these things. We should be thankful for these wonderful gifts the Lord has given us.
But the above verse talks about being thankful in EVERYTHING! This is hard. I note Lynn's strength in the Lord when she said on her Facebook page last week, "In everything give thanks! I am thankful to be a quadriplegic because that is God's will for me right now and it brings me closer to Him. I am also thankful for all the family and friends who minister to me because of the love they have for Jesus. They minister to me with His hands." When Lynn became unable to use her own hands, God sent other's hands to her! What a testimony to God's grace. How can she be thankful to be a quadriplegic? Through God's grace. So when we enter the Advent Season, let us be thankful for where the Lord has us right now. Regardless of what we might hear false teachers tell us, God does not always give us an easy path to Himself. He does not always make the road easy. One thing He will give us, though, is the grace and strength for what He has for us today. How do we know this? We have the greatest Teacher and example ever. Jesus himself had to suffer and die a terrible earthly death and for things He was not even guilty of. I am the guilty one, and He died for me!! From my experience, a thankful heart is also a soft heart towards the things of the Lord. So let's work at keeping this thankful heart with us each day, not just on Thanksgiving day. Let's take it with us into the Advent Season!
The pictures below show Lynn's grandchildren ministering to her. Bella is feeding "Grammy," Nelson is giving her a drink, and Emily is comforting her. Many others minister to Lynn as well. This includes family members, friends and other caregivers. I love to watch the young ones since it gives them so much pleasure to help "Grammy." They are a good example to me of the kind of servants Christ calls us to be.
Father, thank you for your many blessings. Thank you especially for the gift of your Son. We thank you for all the good things you provide for us. Thank you for the beauty of your creation, the beauty of family and friends. Thank you for all those you have sent our way to minister to Lynn and me. Thank you for providing all that we need each day. Than you for even sending things our way that we might not chose but that bring us closer to you. Would you keep our hearts soft towards you? Would you keep us thankful for how you made us and where you placed us? Give us hearts of joy, thankfulness, and anticipation as we celebrate the coming of the Lord Jesus. Give us strength and grace this day and forgive us of our many sins, for it is in Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Love,
Doug and Lynn and family
Why would I talk about Thanksgiving after the holiday is over and we are now in the Advent season? It seems to me that thankfulness is central to the Christian experience. I know we might generally tend to be thankful for good things that happen to us. We had a "good" day. We got a "good" job, or in these times, we are thankful because we "have" a job! We are thankful for the good friends we have, and our family. Nothing wrong with being thankful for these things. We should be thankful for these wonderful gifts the Lord has given us.
But the above verse talks about being thankful in EVERYTHING! This is hard. I note Lynn's strength in the Lord when she said on her Facebook page last week, "In everything give thanks! I am thankful to be a quadriplegic because that is God's will for me right now and it brings me closer to Him. I am also thankful for all the family and friends who minister to me because of the love they have for Jesus. They minister to me with His hands." When Lynn became unable to use her own hands, God sent other's hands to her! What a testimony to God's grace. How can she be thankful to be a quadriplegic? Through God's grace. So when we enter the Advent Season, let us be thankful for where the Lord has us right now. Regardless of what we might hear false teachers tell us, God does not always give us an easy path to Himself. He does not always make the road easy. One thing He will give us, though, is the grace and strength for what He has for us today. How do we know this? We have the greatest Teacher and example ever. Jesus himself had to suffer and die a terrible earthly death and for things He was not even guilty of. I am the guilty one, and He died for me!! From my experience, a thankful heart is also a soft heart towards the things of the Lord. So let's work at keeping this thankful heart with us each day, not just on Thanksgiving day. Let's take it with us into the Advent Season!
The pictures below show Lynn's grandchildren ministering to her. Bella is feeding "Grammy," Nelson is giving her a drink, and Emily is comforting her. Many others minister to Lynn as well. This includes family members, friends and other caregivers. I love to watch the young ones since it gives them so much pleasure to help "Grammy." They are a good example to me of the kind of servants Christ calls us to be.
Father, thank you for your many blessings. Thank you especially for the gift of your Son. We thank you for all the good things you provide for us. Thank you for the beauty of your creation, the beauty of family and friends. Thank you for all those you have sent our way to minister to Lynn and me. Thank you for providing all that we need each day. Than you for even sending things our way that we might not chose but that bring us closer to you. Would you keep our hearts soft towards you? Would you keep us thankful for how you made us and where you placed us? Give us hearts of joy, thankfulness, and anticipation as we celebrate the coming of the Lord Jesus. Give us strength and grace this day and forgive us of our many sins, for it is in Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Love,
Doug and Lynn and family
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