Happy Thanksgiving
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 ESV)
Good luck with all that, Paul.
My spiritual accomplishment for the day was to get out of bed.
If the anointing falls strongly enough upon me, I will get cleaned up and attend to my holiday duties.
Still, it is the responsibility of professional clergy to pontificate on holidays that have some loose connection to the faith, so here’s my contribution.
We live in a time where the things that used to heal us, now can harm us.
My doctors were not excited about the Thanksgiving holiday…they were worried…they expect the hospital to be packed in mid December with those who gathered today.
There’s a new Covid variant in town and they are not sure how to treat it.
One of my doctors spoke to me of a family of four that came in…mom and dad and a brother and a sister.
Mom, dad, and the brother have passed and the girl has been on a ventilator for weeks.
The hospital has not been able to locate any family left for this child.
When she wakes up…if she wakes up…it will be my doctors responsibility to tell her that everyone she knew as family is gone.
If she wakes up and they fail to find anyone to care for her…my doctor is considering bringing her into her own home.
So this morning I’m thankful for all the medical professionals who have given all they had and still found more to serve us for these last two years.
I’m thankful that the death angel named Covid has not entered my home or the homes of my loved ones, family or otherwise.
I’m thankful for the small group of friends who have accompanied me through this time of strife, division, and sickness without demanding I check off agreement with them in every theological and political box.
I am thankful I have food and shelter because I see many who do not have either.
I am thankful that I still have a cat to feed at ungodly hours.
I am thankful that the Lord has enabled me to care when I really don’t want to anymore.
I am mostly thankful for Jesus who has covered my lack of rejoicing, praying, and thankfulness with a love that overcomes my nature.
I’m sure Paul had his days too…
Make your own application…and happy Thanksgiving…
As always, beautiful words to remind us of what can be painful to think of….you have a way with words that few can match. A poet. It has been said that poetry can contain “darkness”, but end with light. That is how I feel when I read your God inspired words. The words recognize pain. The words recognize darkness. But the words point to “light”. Happy Thanksgiving to you to Michael.
prodinov,
You are too kind…and I’m thankful.
Thank you for seeing me in the best light…I’ll pass it on….
A Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!
Thank you Michael!
Wishing you all a blessed day and days to come!
Thank you, Elena…all the best to you and yours today and every day…thankful for you.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving, Xenia!
Michael
Thankful for all that you do… Happy Thanksgiving!
Duane,
Thankful for you as well, my friend.
Have a blessed day with your bride….happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving! I am especially thankful that after a dark last year with my elderly parents (too many things to mention, and I live too far away to be of much help), we are looking at assisted living in Jan. 2022! They need help, and even if I did move closer, or they came here, I’m not physically capable to provide the help they need. We still have a ways to go towards the move, but i will be very happy to know they are safe.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Michael! It’s hard to be thankful in tough times. Our house burned up the week before T-Day when I was 14. What on earth was there to be thankful for? We were in a low-rent motel with iffy neighbors, still trying to do normal things like go to school and walk the dog, and keeping our freaked-out cat from running away. However, as we sorted through belongings and found stuff that survived the fire, realized we had each other, and the neighbors who had called the police because our little wiener dog was barking-we had much to be thankful for. So much so, that my sister and made paper cup bells and paper chains to hang in the little window to welcome Christmas. i learned what real thankfulness was that year.
Happy Thanksgiving y’all!
Happy Thanksgiving! And I am thankful that your transition to a new server is working.
Linn,
Thank you…great post about what thankfulness really looks like.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving, Dan!
Thank you, Randy…I think it’s coming together.
Happy Thanksgiving, my friend!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving, bob1!
Best Thanksgiving dinner ever we had a homeless family living with us. Worst one we were teenage surf bums on the rainy north coast and even the burger joints were closed.
I am really thankful that we survived the 53mph winds overnight.
Time to get grateful hands on the cold bird carcass.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Happy Thanksgiving, JD!
Happy Thanksgiving Michael & for reminding us to be thankful for the little things that are actually the big things in God’s sight.
Happy Thanksgiving!
pslady,
Thank you…the little things are the big blessings.
Happy Thanksgiving!
On behalf of my ancestors, the Comanche, happy Thanks-taking, and again, they would like to apologize for being on your land before you got here.
Now more than ever, Native Americans across America are willing to be thankful for any basic services we would graciously give to them.
Also, they are thankful at least their children aren’t locked in cages down at the border, from the other people on our land before we got here, caught in the middle of a war caused by addiction from our citizens.
I tell you, we make Columbus and his goons proud.
On the other hand, Columbus didn’t enslave an entire society and bring them here, then act shocked when that sin punishes the children of those who profited.
The saying goes “Cats have 9 lives” (“They deserve more!”)
Little things? Yes. Thank God for the little things….
Yesterday morning i(Thanksgiving) i went to the kitchen to put the coffee pot on – looking out the window to the neighboring property I saw a woman with a pump truck cleaning out the sanican the neighbors have for their workers as they build a cabin/storage facility….
Thank You, Father that all I had to do was put the coffee on
UnCCed, I have Indian/native American blood in my veins, I contribute, as I can, to a Catholic school in So. Dakota working to bring the. Indian children into the 21rst century. I find nothing wrong with education. Unless it is as described in Scripture “ever learning, but unable to come to a knowledge of The Truth.”
Just saying’ …. again
We overwork the guilt trip. Africans sold their brothers and sisters into slavery (still do). The majority, if not all, the slavery was benefiting farmers in the southeast U.S. AND
We fought a bloody, tragic Civil War to free them and jeep the U.S. one nation…
Just sayin……….. again
The slavery practiced in America was a death penalty offense in the Scriptures.
Michael, I seem to remember – haven’t looked it up – a N.T. admonition to slaves, obey your masters? ? ?
Most slavery in the NT was in the form of bondservants…either to pay off debt or a willing choice to remain the employ of the owner.
There were provisions for release.
American chattel slavery was “menstealing” a capital offense.
“Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.”
(1 Timothy 1:8–11 ESV)
https://accordance.bible/link/read/ESVS#1Tim._1:8
““Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.”
(Exodus 21:16 ESV)
https://accordance.bible/link/read/ESVS#Ex._21:16
Clear and unambiguous!
Michael @ 11:08… thank you! ! !
@Linn,
I took my mom on a few years ago, yet it became too much. She needed supervision and was on the verge of needing skilled care less than two years later (and supervision that I was unable to provide without breaking the law). I felt immense guilt, but my Christian therapist said that my home wasn’t a hospital, and that’s what my mom needed: skilled care and supervision that if I were to do would have run afoul of elder abuse laws, unlike professionals. I hope that it works out well for your parents.
Fortunately, my mother was financially able to go into a care facility. She was a master of the half truth and if I had cared for her in my home, more than likely she would have put me in jail. Her doctor was convinced that I was capable of elder abuse ass I did not cave to her demands.
No one should feel guilty, if it is necessary to place a parent in good professional care – IMHO
I’m at a point where I need to make some decisions about my mom….going down hill fast.
Don’t even know where to begin…
Hospice? Very humane..if she’s at that point Michael. I had to make that decision for my mom.
No,assisted living…I’m afraid to be gone long at this point.
Em, long story short, yes. Had cops called on me even after I took her back to her hoard property. I was investigated by Adult Protective Services for stealing, quickly absolved. I lost two properties due to her tossing the will from her deceased husband who left them to me (legally complicated because he had 2 kids , estranged… the law doesn’t care about that). I only wish she had trusted me before dementia set in. No big deal, I’ve done OK and have a trust for my kids. I hope I don’t turn, but one never knows….
I didn’t get to say goodbye due to covid restrictions. Even though over a year before she forgot who I was. I still feel anger and guilt but I hope that she’s healed and OK in heaven.
TNV, we all hope to return to our maker before our brain quits. 🙏
A neighbor here just lost his father after shouldering his care (incontinent among other problems – leaving the house in the middle of the night t go for a walk etc). He’d been a brutal father and I doubt he could appreciate the care his God fearing son gave him. The son called us when he passed. My nurse daughter confirmed that he was gone and they dressed him while they waited for the funeral home to drive out from town…… We have a close community up here, but westsiders are moving in in droves, changing the community quite a bit.
Life in this world isn’t fair. Come soon, Lord Jesus, come soon!
Em: “Life in this world isn’t fair. Come soon, Lord Jesus, come soon!”
Yes, Lord!!