"In my Father's house are many mansions:
if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare
a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where
I am, there ye may be also." ~John 14:1-3~
We wanted you to know that we are thankful for you!
Often times, we take so much for granted. Please take a moment,
this busy weekend, to reflect on the things for which you
are truly thankful.
If you will not be with family and friends this Thanksgiving,
use that telephone. Call your Momma! Talk with Dad! Tell them
just how much you love them, and why. Say, "Thank you."
Remember your brothers or sisters. Drop them a quick e-mail
to say that you will miss them. You get the idea, just do
it! No excuses! Think of others; Aunts, Uncles, nieces, nephews,
your cousins, and dearest friends.
Then take a few more minutes to remember the hundreds, if
not thousands, that may have lost their homes, jobs, and in
some cases precious loved ones. Remember our men and women,
across the globe, that are sacrificing for our freedom. Remember
their families who miss them, and are awaiting their safe
return. Pray for the sick, the elderly, the lonely, and the
hungry - we don't always know their names or needs, but our
Lord knows each and every one of them. Give thanks for your
Pastor, and pray for our President and the leaders of our
country.
Our family wishes you a warm and happy Thanksgiving; as we
celebrate this Holiday Season, we pray that you are blessed;
that every need is supplied, that you are loved, and that
you know the precious gift of His Saving Grace!
My friends, Todd and Teresa Phillips, and I are singing
a beautiful song written by Mr. Tracy Dartt.
It conveys thankfulness for every day needs and blessings
that we all may sometimes take for granted.
How many times, at the end of the day, have
you looked back over those seemingly wasted hours and
felt regret, defeat, or failure?
Yet, even days like these may be of value if we learn
from them . . . hours or actions, which have become failure
in our eyes, can be the very things which bring us to
our knees in search of a closer relationship with God.
The Disciples returned to Jesus to tell
Him what they had done, and what they had failed to do.
If we would do this each evening, what an effect it could
have upon our lives! Many hidden motivations, goals, and
areas of selfishness would be revealed to us. We would
see the heart of each failure as God sees it.
While reading over each day's page of life, with the
consciousness that He is reading it with us, we could
detect errors and defects; we could learn for future
days, for wisdom always comes in retrospect when it
is blessed by Christ.
So do not allow dead days and wasted hours to defeat
you, or pile up around you. Lay them on the altar,
give them over to God. He will touch them with His
love, and they will be turned into the gold treasure
of experience.
Dear God, how I thank you for prayer,
for your gift of forgiveness, for wisdom, for the strength
to go on; for love. Make me eager to come to you each
evening and share this life of mine, whatever it may be
for that day. Amen
Grandpa's Table
A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law,
and four-year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled,
his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family
ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky
hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled
off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk
spilled on the tablecloth.
The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.
"We must do something about Grandfather," said the son. "I've
had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on
the floor." So the husband and wife set a small table in the
corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the
family enjoyed dinner.
Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served
in a wooden bowl. When the family glanced in Grandfather's
direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone.
Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions
when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old
watched it all in silence.
One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing
with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly,
"What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded,
"Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your
food in when I grow up."
The four-year-old smiled and went back to work. The words
so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears
started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken,
both knew what must be done.
That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand, and gently
led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his
days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason,
neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a
fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.
The wise parent realizes that every day the building blocks
are being laid for the child's future. Let's be wise builders
and role models. Lord, we ask not that you move the mountains,
but that You give us the strength to climb."
"Life is about people connecting with people,
and making a positive difference"
"Take care of yourself, ... and those you love, ... today,
... and everyday!"
~Author Unknown~
Five Finger Prayer
Your thumb is nearest to you. So begin your
prayers by praying for those closest to you. They
are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved
ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty".
The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray
for those who teach, instruct and heal. This
includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They
need support and wisdom in pointing others in
the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.
The next finger is the tallest finger. It
reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president,
leaders in business and industry, and administrators.
These people shape our nation and guide public
opinion. They need God's guidance.
The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising
to many is the fact that this is our weakest
finger; as any piano teacher will testify.
It should remind us to pray for those who are
weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your
prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much
for them.
And lastly comes our little finger; the smallest
finger of all. Which is where we should place
ourselves in relation to God and others. As the
Bible says, "the least shall be the greatest among
you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray
for yourself. By the time you have prayed
for the other four groups, your own needs will
be put into proper perspective and you will be
able to pray for yourself more effectively.
Should you find it hard to get to sleep
tonight;
Just remember the homeless family who has no bed to
lie in.
Grandpa's Table
