Thanksgiving Day 2023

Colossians 2:6-7

⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving Day as I write this. The weather should be sunny and in the 50’s by mid day. It should be a good day so we will be able to get out some and visit family and friends. I will probably work some more in the yard on Thanksgiving morning – blowing some leaves – trimming some branches and maybe even cutting the grass (mulching leaves mainly). I fired up our wood furnace recently and am ready for the cold weather. I’d love a foot of snow (at one time) this winter! How about you? I’d like to be snowed in for a few days.

How will you spend your day today? I have some Christmas music playing right now as I’m at my desk doing my devotions. What does your Thanksgiving morning look like? What will your day include? Will you be spending some time with family? We have some family members sick this year – so we’re trying to come up with a plan to still see each other – if at all possible.

I stumbled onto this passage a few years ago and use it today – it touched my heart. Let’s look at it in partial context. Colossians 2:6-10 – ⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.  ⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. ⁹ For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

Have You Ever Felt Helpless?

Psalm 121:2

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Have you ever felt helpless? Without any hope of improvement in your current condition? I know some of our members and friends feel this way at times – as they battle a number of illnesses – and wait patiently (most of the time) for healing. On top of this and other ailments – COVID is on a comeback. Yet – we know where our hope comes from – our help comes from the Lord – the Maker of heaven and earth.

Have you ever been in a place where your finances seemed impossible to overcome? I mean – you were in debt beyond your ability to pay your bills. Maybe some of it was your fault – maybe some of it was beyond your control – but none-the-less – you had bills that seemed to have no end – and they even compounded as the days and months went on. I know of some folks who have debt and pay the very minimum each month (like on credit cards) and yet the interest and the continued use compounds the debt even further. Again – some can be lack of planning or budgeting – but some can be the circumstances of life. Where can we seek help? Our help can come from the Lord – the Maker of heaven and earth. God can help us – even when the troubles are of our own making.

No More Pain

Revelation 21:4

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

We often hear this passage read at funerals. It is a great promise from God that comforts us when we experience death. If our loved one was a person of faith and was suffering or even longing for the release of death – we are comforted knowing that they no longer experience pain or suffering.  They are in a far better place than they were when they were suffering.

No more pain is a great promise God gives people of faith. If Jesus is our Lord and Savior – when we die – we leave this life behind and enter into eternity with God (heaven) – rather than eternity without God (hell).

On the TV or other media outlets – Big Pharma tries to sell us meds that will take away our pain. Take their product and you can do things without pain once again – they tell us. In reality – they often simply mask the pain – they deaden our pain sensors – rather than cure the pain. God promises us there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. God promises to take away the pain – forever – not just while we are on some meds.

Thanksgiving Day 2022

Colossians 2:6-7

⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

I’m glad Thanksgiving Day won’t have the 20 degree weather as Monday this week. It should be in the low 50’s and we will be able to get out some and visit family and friends. I will probably work some more in the yard on Thanksgiving morning – blowing some leaves – trimming some branches and maybe even cutting the grass (mulching leaves mainly). I fired up our wood furnace recently and am ready for the cold weather. I’d love a foot of snow (at one time) this winter! How about you?

How will you spend your day today? I have some Christmas music playing right now as I’m at my desk doing my devotions. What does your Thanksgiving morning look like? What will your day include? Will you be spending some time with family?

I stumbled onto this passage a few years ago and use it today – it touched my heart. Let’s look at it in partial context. Colossians 2:6-10 – ⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.  ⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. ⁹ For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

Christmas Attitude!

Philippians 2:5

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

This coming Sunday we will light the 4^th candle on our Advent wreath. Christmas is only 9 days away. Are you excited yet? What do you do to prepare for the Christmas season? A niece of mine and her married family always bake dozens and dozens of Christmas cookies that their family (and extended family) bake together. It is a family tradition for her husband’s family. They certainly look good and if I could taste them – I imagine they taste good too. I will try to resist cookies this Christmas season – LOL. Why do I pick the holidays to change my diet? Ugh!

What do you do to prepare for Christmas? What do you do in this time of waiting and anticipating (Advent)? Were you active on Cyber Monday shopping online? Now they call the whole time – throughout the week – Cyber Week – – or even Cyber month – so if we missed the one day – we were able to catch up throughout the week (maybe even the whole month). Have any of us hit the Malls yet? I went there Monday to meet with someone – and – lines were not bad this year – other than at the Apple Store. Have any of us baked any cookies? Have we planned our parties and the ones we will attend? I have three this weekend – a family party – a staff party and a party at the Country Club. Have we picked out that perfect gift for our loved ones?