Thanksgiving Changed

"A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates bribes will live." Proverbs 15:26 NIV

He's a cute little boy, one that I'd probably pick for a commercial. He's probably not really a greedy person, but at the end of the commercial he tells us we need to get more Christmas.

This week in particular the ads are out. The commercials are all about a day that is considered Black Friday. A day that used to be fun, one that would begin the Christmas shopping season. The problem is it's changed. The time to open and begin this crazy shopping spree is earlier and earlier. So much earlier that now we aren't even waiting until Friday. Some stores will now be open on Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving-a holiday set apart to help us remember what we are thankful for. Remember the story. A group of pilgrims came over on the Mayflower to serve God in a place with no restrictions. It was a tough journey: sickness, starvation, cold. They were determined to make it though and with the help of the natives they learned how to survive and thrive.

They had a meal together to thank God and thank the natives for helping them. It was outside and quite festive and joyous. They relaxed and fellowship together. The color of skin didn't matter. the language barrier didn't matter. They stopped and thanked God for what He'd given them.

This day of remembrance and being thankful has changed. People are in a rush. Is there even a time to remember God and be thankful?

Our Thanksgiving tradition has changedas well. It's a change that I really enjoy. We spend it outdoors not quite the same way the pilgrims did. We have our electricity and running water. It's relaxing and fellwoshiping with family. We are not in a rush. We spend time together not worrying about the greatest deal, instead we remember to thank God for all He's done for us.

Don't rush through Thanksgiving just to get more Christmas.

Here We Go Again

I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me. Psalm 120:1 NIV

"Our daughter is going to go to a tutor a couple days a week, so let me know what the new rate will be," came the message from a father last week.

"What do you mean, what's the new rate," was my first thought. I'm barely hanging on with the amount I'm making and now I'm going to make even less.

I truly don't understand how I'm supposed to make it on even less guaranteed money. I pondered and worried for a few hours. Sure I prayed to God and tried to leave the worrying with Him. But the worry bug kept creeping in.

After all He has provided for us. In August I wasn't sure how we were going to make. Over the summer I had eleven children enrolled. One child's mother figured out a way to stay home, one child's parents work scheduled changed, two were only there for the summer, and one started in VPK. That really cut my salary in half.

I looked at the budget then and figured we could make it as long as I made a certain amount every week. When I figured out how much I needed to make each week I was going to make $7 more-yippee! Nothing really had to change except our date night.

Then one of the parents had to have surgery which worked out alright because for a couple weeks he came everyday. Now though he hasn't been coming while she recovers. So now my salary was once again cut and I had to cut back on groceries.

A blessing came when my husband got a raise. That made up for some of the lack of funds.

Now this wonderful news again of a decrease in pay. Once again I checked out the budget, and figured out how to cut groceries again and now unfortunately our tithe. It isn't something I want to do, but it's something I have to do.

So when I looked at the numbers today, we will be alright. It could be better, but we won't starve or lose anything. Just as long as nothing breaks down or anything unexpected comes up. Even then though God will provide.

As I sat in small group Friday night I saw a message that spoke to me, "God will bless us". He is there in my distress, even when I keep worrying. He will provide and continue to bless us. I just need to have faith that He's got this.

I Just Wanted to do a Happy Dance

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4 NIV

As I walked through the door, I knew where the first stop would be. The dreaded scale. Today though I wasn't dreading it, instead I was curious. Curious to see if it would show a difference like my scale at home has.

For some reason the doctor's office scale is never the same as the scale I use at home. There is usually a ten pound heavier difference.

I approached the scale, hoping it will show a lighter me. Of course the read out for the scale is above my head. I glanced up and I was pleasantly surprised. I was fifteen pounds lighter than the last time I'd been to the doctor. Of course this scale showed me heavier than the one at home, but still I was overjoyed. So much so in fact I wanted to do a happy dance, but instead the nurse hurried me to my room.

There are many different occasions in our lives when we just want to do a happy dance: an engagement, a wedding, the birth of a child, our child scores the winning point, the diagnosis of no cancer, a pay raise...

What stops us from enjoying the moment? Why not shout out to the Lord our praise?

For me a lot of times it's my shyness. I mean I was praising the Lord on the inside. I even managed to pull my fist into my side to say, "yes, the hard work is paying off." But to actually do a happy dance with people watching or rushing me, I stop short.

I guess it was alright, because I rejoiced with the Lord. It's been His guidance that has gotten me this far.

Maybe next time I'll have more courage to do a "Praise the Lord" dance and celebrate with those around me.

Forgive Them? Just Forget It!

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13 NIV

We've all seen them. The campaign ads telling us the mistakes of someones past and why we shouldn't vote for them.

We've heard it on the news. So and so said such and such. It doesn't matter if it was forty years ago the point is he/she said it! We can't trust him/her.

Today I heard about someone losing her job over a poor judgement for a costume choice. I mean really, why can't she just apologize and admit she made a mistake?

Is our world so consumed by the wrong choices we make that we can't get past them? We all have made mistakes at one time or another. A mistake in what we may have said or not said, in the action we choose to perform, or in joining the wrong group of friends. Mistakes are made because we have freedom to choose.

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 NIV. It's pretty simple, each of us make mistakes. Some of us choose to be forgiven by God for these mistakes with the promise that He will remember our sin no more. It'd be nice if the world could remember or sin no more.

Hopefully, we learn from our bad choice and move on. Sure sometimes there are consequences for the choice we made(like the lady losing her job), but once the punishment is done we should have the freedom to move forward not have it shoved in our face or publicized on the news.

One of the things I have been teaching the children is to seek forgiveness when they've done wrong. We talk about what they did and then how can they make it right. The first thing we've learned is to go to God first and then the person we wronged. That person is suppose to say, "OK, I forgive you." Then he/she is not to bring it up again, especially when the other kid's parents arrive.

Yesterday, one of the kids was sitting on the bench to think about what he did. When I talked to him about it, he knew what he did and without me even telling him, he prayed, "I'm sorry God for being mean please help me do better." Now that's a lesson learned.