Thankful for Enough!

Thanksgiving season is one of my favorite times. All the years of my family around the table, lots of food, everybody talking (at the same time) were so precious. The in laws have finally adjusted to our "loud and boisterous" ways. Now that the last ones married, have been so for fifteen years! But these are memories that I'll always cherish. For many years we each said something that we were thankful about that year. It started to take forever and the food would be cold. So that kinda died out. But each family has started some of their own family "traditions" now. As my children become in laws themselves. And eventually grandparents, and so as life goes. I pray that my children's children will love the Lord and serve Him as they have and as we have. The wonderful thing about being thankful all year through is that it produces joy in life. And without joy, life can be hazardous to your health. We can find so many things for which to be joyful. I find myself noticing the little things that God does for me everyday. He sends an out of town friend to invite me out to eat. He lets me witness to a nice stranger who carried a heavy bag to my van this week,  or talking to a sweet new friend at the health center where I exercise. You know the longer I live the more I understand about contentment. I read this in a devotional magazine this week.... Contentment is trusting God more than we trust our circumstances. Contentment insist on this: With God there is always enough. Enough love, enough grace, enough hope. So let's praise Him and be joyful now and everyday for OUR GOD IS ENOUGH! 
 I Thess 5:18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

We Just Don't "Get It."

Well the day has finally come! Some (especially my children) will say "it's about time." But I did it. I went and bought me some hearing aids. Yep, I'm there, people.  Don't you hate to admit it when you come face to face with the facts? I really don't hear very well. You can only repeat something so many times before frustration sets in. And I know I've caused plenty of that. It is rather a prideful thing to have to admit. But sometimes I don't have a clue what's said. I just pretend I understand and go on. But isn't that the case as believers sometimes?  No matter how much we think we know God's Word, unless we actually "get it"- we don't get it. Preachers must get awfully discouraged with trying to get things through our thick skulls. We can hear or read the Bible, without understanding what God is really saying to us. It would behoove all of us to spend more time pondering the verses rather than hurrying through them. Hurrying through our daily Bible reading so we can say that we did it, is not what it's about. It's about memorizing and meditating on the wonderful passages that can change our behavior. I don't know about you, but I want to "own" the verses I read. The Bible is so precious. And like getting the hearing aids, so I can understand sounds again, I want the Holy Spirit to help me to understand what I'm hearing and reading from that Blessed Old Book.

Rev. 2:12a  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;

Sometimes We "See" Best in the Dark.

What a great time in Branson, MO this last week! My longtime friend, Sharon and I went with the Temple Baptist Church in Flower Mound (Heritage Builders) to see the shows and enjoy the sights there. This group of folks were so much fun. I met many sweet new friends. Isn't God good to let us have some good times with awesome people? He just seems to send blessing after blessing to me as I get older. And I think if you will be honest, you have many more blessings than trials, too. One of my favorite shows was the Hughes Brothers Show. These 5 brothers have wives who perform with them, and 37 children between them (who also perform). The oldest son has 14 children, but his wife was not able to perform. Probably tired, very tired. And then the Jonah Musical was absolutely fabulous. I hope that you will go to see this if you get to Branson. It will be worth fighting the crowd. Jonah's stubborn refusal to obey God, shows us that it is not going to go well with us when we do our "own thing," rather than God's. I can't imagine being inside a whale's belly (or a big fish) it had to be a frighteningly dark place. But the illuminating light of God's Word did shine into his heart and he repented and obeyed. Sometimes the darkest places are the best places to "see" God's way is best. 

2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.