On Living With Thanksgiving

Here's some good stuff that everybody ought to think about . . . I leave it to you.

Believe it or not, not everyone is looking forward to Thanksgiving. I heard about a lady who was in the Department of Motor Vehicles the other day and she overheard someone say they wished they had to work on Thanksgiving so they could avoid having to spend time with their in-laws.
Why do some people have such a negative feeling about such a positive holiday? It would seem there are plenty of people who go through life looking only at the disappointments or the painful experiences refusing to see the blessings that surround many of life’s challenges.

I don’t know who to attribute the following witticism to but I agree with its underlying philosophy. “As you travel down life’s pathway, may this ever be your goal…keep you eye on the donut, and not on the hole.”

The first Thanksgiving took place in the midst of some of the worst trials imaginable for those who braved the crossing of the Atlantic to begin a new life in the new world. One hundred and two pilgrims landed at Plymouth in December of 1620. Less than six months later only fifty-five were still alive. Their chances of survival rested fully upon the fruit of the fall harvest.

When that harvest was fully gathered Edward Winslow wrote these words, “…. although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.” There in the middle of devastating circumstances with their very lives hanging on the quality of the harvest that small band of believers was able to praise God for what they believed were His abundant blessings.

Over 250 years later, Abraham Lincoln sat down in the middle of what could be described as the darkest period of American History and declared a day of Thanksgiving. America was being torn apart by a bloody civil war and yet Lincoln spoke of “gracious gifts of the most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless, remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people."

Those first adventurers we call pilgrims and the sixteenth President of the United States, though separated by time and circumstance, shared a common bond. They realized that true thanksgiving is not a day, a season, or a temporary thought. It is an attitude of the heart.

I was just looking at Psalm 103 today in a Bible study I led at the church I pastor. King David understood this principle when he wrote Psalm 103. David begins by exalting the name of the Lord and by encouraging himself to remember who God is and what He has done. “Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name. Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all His benefits.” The key to an attitude of thanksgiving that transcends the season is our ability to remember the blessing of our God. Being thankful for our blessings should proceed from the very fiber of our being. It isn’t the mere material and temporary blessings that David is speaking about but rather the eternal blessings that flow from God who is eternal.

Everywhere I turn this Thanksgiving season I hear fear expressed in one form or another. Fear over the economy, job security, the possibility of a terrorist attack, and just a feeling of helplessness as national and international events seem to be spiraling out of control. But we must not give in to that spirit of fear. Paul reminded believers in Rome, “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, Abba! Father!”

Here in America, it could be said that we have found pasture in the biblical sense. Even in the face of uncertainly we can still say that we are blessed above all nations with unmatched prosperity and liberty. This week, as we sit around a bountiful table surrounded by the blessings of God, let us not forget all His benefits. If fear comes to the door let us send faith to answer and no one will be there. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Wondering Where You Hang Out . . .

Mary at "One Thing is Needed" asks the question "Where Would Jesus Hang Out"? She found herself in a social club/bar listening to a friend's performance. She saw the kinds of things you might expect to see in a bar. She said that she was not sad to leave, but then she had a thought:

Then I remembered that Jesus would most likely have been quite comfortable last night hanging out with people who were doing and saying things that no respectable church person would ever be caught doing. Why was I so uncomfortable if Jesus would likely have spent the entire evening there? I'm not sure. It seems that I can read about several times when Jesus intentionally hung out with those who made other people uncomfortable. . .

I may say that I want to be like Jesus, but do I realize that it means loving and being around people the "church" has often rejected, pitied, neglected, ignored, protested against, avoided, hurt, or demanded changed from? People that I'm uncomfortable around? I'm slow to learn, but hopefully I am.

Mary is asking important questions and coming to very important conclusions. If we are going to follow Jesus, then we will be following him into places and circumstances that might make us uncomfortable. But, following Jesus is NEVER about our comfort.

Just Thinking About What I've Learned

As long as I can remember, my dear mom has always preached to me about praying for wisdom, direction and discernment. When I moved away for the first time on a big trip to the Northwest to my first pastoral assignment, she was good about sending me letters or calling. As best I can remember (after all I am 50 now), every time we'd talk she'd tell me she loved me, she was praying for me and then would sign off with these words, "And, don't forget to pray for wisdom. I love you." Well, now I know she's a wise woman (in more ways than one) and she knew that true wisdom never stops learning. As I have aged (yes, I am doing that slowly), I've learned wisdom does come from God (remember James 1:5?) and it also comes from life. Experience is a great teacher and true wisdom arises from vulnerability. So, I just got to thinking (not long after my 50th birthday this year!) and here are some things I learned about life after looking back...

• I learned that when you need to go to the bathroom at school, you need to ask the teacher, so you don't have to walk home backwards so no one will see the mess you made in your pants. (Age 5)
  
• I learned that when you wave at people, they'll wave back. (Age 6)
• I learned that my Mom and Dad are the smartest people in the world. (Age 7)
• I learned that when you smile at people, they don't always smile back, but you should still be nice and smile anyway. (Age 8)
  
• I learned you can't lie about shooting your brother with a bb-gun in the butt and get away with it. (Age 9)
• I learned when you shoot a bb-gun in the house, mom will always find out. (Age 11)
• I learned that just when I got my room the way I like it, my Mom made me clean it up. (Age 12)
• I learned that when you turn to be a teenager you are the smartest person in the whole wide world. (Age 13)
  
• I learned that my Mom and Dad weren't as smart as I thought they were. (Age 14)
• I learned that my Mom and Dad don't have a clue about life. (Age 16)
• I learned that I was secretly glad that my parents were hard on me and encouraged me to keep going in the right direction. (Age 17)
• I learned that my Mom and Dad need me if they are to actually survive in this world. (Age 18)
• I learned that you can't make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them. (Age 20)
• I learned that once again my Mom and Dad are the smartest and wisest people in the world. (Age 21)
• I learned that all those things I thought I knew about family, ministry, and life weren't quite like the books told me they were in college. (Age 22)
• I learned that my dad is incredibly wise and should be sought for advice in every big decision that comes. (Age 23)
  
• I learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief. (Age 23)
  
• I learned that having kids is cool and a lot of work. (Age 24)
• I learned that people are interested in learning about God when I tell them how much He loves them. (Age 25)
• I learned that wherever I go, the world's worst drivers have followed me there. (Age 26)
• I learned that moving from one end of the country to the next wasn't all that exciting. (Age 27)
• I learned that playing catch in the backyard with my sons is one of life's greatest pleasures. (Age 29)
• I learned that you can get by on charm for about 15 minutes. After that, you'd better know something. (Age 30)
  
• I learned that you can tell a lot about a man's true character by the way he handles these three things: tangled Christmas lights, a bad call at his kid's athletic event and how he talks about his wife when she's not around. (Age 33)
• I learned that making a living and making a life are two different things. (Age 35)
• I learned that life gives you a second chance when bad things happen. (Age 37)
• I learned the value of sharing a touch and that everyday you should hold some one's hand, share a hug or a friendly pat on the back. (Age 39)
  
• I learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.(Age 40)
• I learned that I still have a lot to learn. (Age 41)
• I learned that it's not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts. (age 44)
• I learned that whatever road of your life gets broken you can carry on, whatever bridge is shattered the river still flows, whatever dream is destroyed you can make a new one and as long as your children are okay and you have food on the table, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and God on your side of life, little else really matters. (age 45)
• I learned that a sweet, brown haired, hazel-eyed girl named Diana could rock my world! (age 46)
• I learned that it's not what happens to people that's important. It's what they do about it. (age 47)
• I learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated. (age 48)
• I learned that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be. (Age 49)
• I learned that, indeed, there is life after 50. In the words of the immortal voice of Martin Luther (my version), "Here I am, I can do no other." (Age 50)