Thanksgiving 2022

Hello Everyone.

Here in America Thanksgiving is this Thursday. I’d like to share a few things with you. First a story, then a prayer and a Hymn’s playlist I found.

This story is really about an analogy from a sermon my Pastor preached. Last year we were at a multi church Thanksgiving Eve service, during his time to preach he spoke on a division using an analogy about Thanksgiving dinner. I’d like to share that analogy to the best of my recollection as I think it is useful not just in the body of Christ but in the world as well.

The analogy basically goes like this…

“At Thanksgiving when we all gather at the table with many different side dishes, we all pass around the food. Now when the cranberry sauce comes to me I just pass them along to the next person without taking any. What I don’t do is announce, “cranberry sauce is gross. It totally ruins the flavors of the other food. It makes no sense for the plate. Anyone who puts that on their plate is foolish.”

The most important reason not to do this is that they would send me away from the table. I want to stay at the table with my family.”

What a valuable lesson. Let’s not divide on the secondary stuff, stay true to the chore values and love each in our disagreements over the little things.

Now for the rest of what I am a sharing.

A Prayer:
Thanks for Blessings Past and Present

Lord God, we gather around this table to humbly thank You for all that You have given us this past year – not just what is on this table, but who is sitting around this table. Thank you for life and laughter, for health and happiness, for relationships and memories. Thank you, too, for the lessons learned and the tears we’ve cried because of Your ability to grow us through them. Thank You for Your comfort and Your presence, in light of good days and bad. Thank You for what we have now, for what we had yesterday, and for what You will continue to give tomorrow. Let us never take that for granted, but to always be grateful for every good and perfect gift that comes from You. May we have hearts full of thanksgiving not only today but every day of our lives. We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, Amen. – Cindy McMenamin

Source: https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/7-thanksgiving-prayers-encouraging-and-inspiring.html

Hymns for Thanksgiving: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqk7PmhxKRBd_YoC5DWgrd9jkLkE9OhPk

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

-Chris

God is Easy to Forget

It’s easy to forget God.

So easy to forget Him during our struggles. We forget He can help us.

So easy to forget our Lord during our triumphs. With all the praise given to us by others and even ourselves it’s easy to forget to thank Him.

How often do you hear about a famous person who was raised in a Christian home but now has abandoned the faith. They got their millions and exactly what they needed so they feel they no longer need God.

I’m not picking on the rich this happens to people in all the different economic classes.

We all forget about the Lord sometimes.

Why is that?

Because it’s easy.

The alternative is hard.

Putting your faith in God when it seems like there is no hope can be terrifying.

But the Lord says “Fear not”.*

Praising God for your accomplishments rather then giving yourself all the credit is hard and takes a humble heart.

But the Lord says, “Those who humble themselves will be exalted and those who exalt themselves will be humbled”.**

We forget God because we can.

We will continue to do this until we can’t.

We will continue to do this until we are face to face with the Lord.

What will happen then?

Will you be welcomed as His child in to His home or will He forget you as you forgot Him?

It all depends.

Have you accepted Him and His grace?

Or have you rejected Him?

The ball is in your court, if you reject Him, He will reject you.

If you accept Him, He will accept you. And your life will change forever and ever.

He will be with you always.

Have a Blessed Week,

Chris

*https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+41%3A10&version=NKJV

**https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+23%3A12&version=NKJV