At my place of employment around Christmas, we collect non-perishable food, toiletries, stationary, and things of that nature for the elderly in the community. My heart always goes out to the elderly and I like to help them. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that when I was a kid, my mother often had elderly friends she would help care for, take to the doctor, clean their house, etc. Or maybe it’s because of my love for my grandmothers in their elderly years. I also feel sympathetic towards those who seem to be forgotten by their loved ones. And one day I will be elderly and run the risk of having no one to care for me. I suppose it could be a combination of all of these.
Whatever the case, I really wanted to help. But I was hesitant to go to the store and buy needed items for the elderly. You are likely wondering why it was so hard. I don’t really have a good explanation for my anxieties. I am an introvert who very much keeps to herself, so perhaps my hesitations stemmed from that. But whatever the reason, I had a debate going on in my head. Thankfully, I managed to talk myself into going to the grocery store and filling my cart with canned goods for the elderly. In the end, I was so glad that I did.
You might wonder how I talked myself into proceeding. Well I am glad you asked, because that is the true point of this post. It boils down to love. As children of God, we are called to love one another. Jesus came to this world out of love. Jesus lived a life of love. And Jesus died out of love. Jesus should be our role model, and we should love others as He did. Sometimes to love others that means we have to be inconvenienced. Sometimes to love others we have to push past our fears.
In the spirit of Christmas, I pray we can look for ways to spread the love of Jesus to those around us. Let us be inconvenienced and let us push past our fears. When we do something difficult in the name of love, it will bring honor and glory to the Lord.
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. – John 15:12 NKJV
I was enjoying some quiet time reflecting on Christmas when a thought came to mind: what if Christ wasn’t our story? What if He didn’t exist? What if the devil had free reign without end?
Years ago I remember reading comments regarding Clint Eastwood’s western, Unforgiven. Although I have not seen it, I had read enough to understand it wasn’t a John Wayne throwback. A review admitted the movie wasn’t what they thought it would be.
Unforgiven was depressing and dark. No evidence of hope. Everything was bleak.
Another reviewer left a comment that struck with me. Paraphrasing they wrote, “The title is Unforgiven. That’s a bleak life. There isn’t hope. What else could you expect without forgiveness?”
And so life would be without Christ. Imagine if God left us to our own devices to bridge the gap between our sin and eternity with our Heavenly Father? What if Mary considered her options and decided to have an abortion? What if Jesus gave into temptation or chose to call on the angels to stop His execution?
No author would be able to accurately describe the chaos and terror that would be our everyday. Not only would there be unforgiveness, there would be sin abound without reprecussions. Every evil thing would be encouraged and celebrated. Acts of service would be traded for treat ourselves. Relationships would have zero boundaries and we’d live under the mantra to do whatever makes us happy.
You might think the world is in a free fall, and I admit, events have not been very positive the last couple years. But, Jesus. Muslims are inviting Christ into their lives after having dreams where Jesus speaks to them. That’s better than any movie, and of course the media isn’t going to report that. But it’s true, and that’s hope.
As harsh as our surroundings are, I think for the most part we can admit we are clothed and fed. We have daily provision and access to resources to help us. We have His Word and the ability to worship. There is so much we have even on our darkest day. Why?
Jesus.
He is our Redemption. Our Healer. Our Provider. Our Friend.
Our HOPE.
I’m so glad it’s a hypothetical for me to consider life without Christ. If you know Him as a teacher, prophet, or simply a nice guy who wandered Earth, I invite you to read a chapter of John a day, asking God to show you who Jesus is, really is. Not just during the Christmas season, but daily.
Don’t miss a second experiencing life through the lens of love and forgiveness.
Luke 1:5-25 tells a story with cosmic significance. The priest Zechariah was performing temple service on behalf of all the Jewish people (and in a sense on behalf of all people). Gabriel, an angel, who stands in the presence of Almighty God, appeared to Zechariah and told him about the coming birth of the prophet John the Baptist. He was to play the role of a second Elijah, fulfilling the last prophecy of the Old Testament (Malachi 4:4-6) and preparing the way for the Messiah, who would save all people. John was also supposed to fulfill the requirements for a Nazarite, a person consecrated for special service to God (Numbers 6).
However, in the midst of the angel’s description of John’s cosmic significance (“many will rejoice because of his birth”) is the brief comment that “He will be a joy and delight to you.” That is, in addition to blessing all of humanity, John would be a blessing to his parents. This is a reminder that, while God loves and blesses all people, He also loves and blesses each of us individually. That is a wonderful thing to know.
This year I’m so excited about my first Christmas story with Harlequin Heartwarming, Her Christmastime Family. Love, family, friendships and community are important components in this line of books and what better time than Christmas to bring them all together? And the cover? I think it captures the joy and wonder of Christmas.
Traditions are very important and I try to maintain as many as possible during the holidays. So when single mom, Faith Harper is determined to create new traditions for her young children, I got to go overboard by bringing them to life on the page. When Faith joins forces with neighbor Roan Donovan, who is struggling to make the season merry for his two girls, the parents bond over the love for their children. Isn’t that what the spirit of Christmas is all about?
A holiday match… For a lifetime of love!
Creating new Christmas traditions is a priority for single mom Faith Harper. But the handsome widower next door, police officer Roan Donovan, is struggling to make the season merry for his two girls. Sunny Faith could brighten the holiday for Roan. And the way he protects his daughters touches her heart. Will facing their challenges together unite their families…and build a love to weather all seasons?
Read an excerpt:
“Can we get a picture, Dad?”
“Right now?”
Kaylie frowned at him and mouthed, You promised. So he had. He extracted his phone from his jacket pocket and held it out to Deke. “Mind doing the honors?”
“My pleasure,” Deke said as he took the phone. Kaylie led him and Emmie to the tree.
“Smile,” Kaylie instructed softly.
Roan complied. Before he knew it, the Harpers joined in. After shuffling around, flashes of light captured the kids, mugging for the camera. Then Deke and Grace, beaming at the camera. Wanda Sue, Mrs. M. and Alveda posed, as well.
Mrs. M. pushed him forward. “One more,” she said, somehow with his phone in her hands. Wanda Sue nudged Faith over and Mrs. M. cried out, “Smile.”
Roan and Faith exchanged a glance before facing forward. A hint of her floral perfume hung in the air. Her arm brushed against his, and he had to hold his breath for a few seconds in order not to react to her closeness. Or—rephrase that—in order for no one else to notice his reaction to her standing by his side. Her laugh charmed him, and when John ran forward to take Faith’s hand, he had to contain his regret.
“There’s hot cocoa, Mama.”
Faith inched away from him. Roan had to admit, the impromptu photo session had been fun. But then, he was learning that Faith made everything fun. Maybe no harm would come from Kaylie’s request that he make Christmas merry after all.
Here’s wishing you a beautiful Christmas season. With all the shopping, preparations for family and friends, parties and whatever else you do to celebrate, let’s never forget the reason for the season, the birth of Jesus.
Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. For more information about her books, visit Tara at www.tararandel.com.Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks. Sign up for Tara’s Newsletter
Writers write. Writers write because they can’t not write. They are so overflowing with ideas and stories that they just have to write them down and share them. If they don’t, they feel as if they will burst.
I began to write before I started school. I know this because I can remember drawing the comic book pictures (very badly) and asking someone older to print the dialogue in the balloons over the characters’ heads. In high school, my cousin and I wrote “mags” (collections of stories) for each other, just for fun.
After I had finished a couple of university degrees, I found myself unemployed and confused about the future. One morning, I prayed fervently, “Lord, what do You want me to do with my life?” It was a rhetorical question. I did not expect an answer. But immediately the words “Be a writer” popped into my head. They were inaudible but absolutely clear. My first response was, “That can’t be it. That’s what I want to do.”
A day or two later, I wrote a short opinion piece and phoned the major newspaper in our city, asking what I should do with it. I reached an assistant, who said the “op ed editor” (whatever that was) was looking for an article. She told me to bring my piece down. I did. The editor read it and said, “It’s good. We’ll publish it tomorrow.” I thought, “So that’s how it’s done.” But, of course, that is not how it is done. I know now that the vast majority of submissions are rejected. Being a successful writer is a long, hard journey. But that experience confirmed the call of God.
For the next few years, I continued to work at writing while also working at real jobs to make ends meet. I got married and returned to university for more schooling. Eventually, I ran out of grant money and needed to look for work again. (There is a pattern here. Someone has said that “Writing is the only occupation where, if you don’t make any money, you are not thought ridiculous.”) I had finished all of the degree requirements anyway, except for the minor task of dashing off a well-researched 400-page thesis (which I eventually accomplished in my spare time over the next three years).
About that time, I saw an ad for the position of associate editor at a denominational church magazine. I figured it would be an opportunity to do more writing. It was. I got the job and stayed for 19 years. To my surprise, as an editor, I also discovered joy in finding other people who had something to say and helping them to say it well and clearly. When I have taught writing workshops (“The 167 Simple Steps to Becoming a Successful Writer”), I have always said that the first step is to have something important to say. If you have something important to say, no matter what your writing skills, a good editor can help you to say it clearly. If you don’t have something to say, no matter how eloquently you can say it, an editor can’t help you.
John 1:14 says, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
I’ve read those words so many times since becoming a Christian, but this year, with Christmas coming upon us, they really hit home.
Just imagine, from the beginning of creation, God knew we would need a savior. He knew sin would enter the world and He prepared a plan to redeem His creation.
In Isaiah 7:14, it says, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
We know that the Messiah would be born of a virgin long before Mary received the news from the angel Gabriel. This was written over 700 years before Christ was born.
Micah 5:2 tells us more than 800 years before Christ’s birth that He would be born in Bethlehem.
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Isaiah 9:6-8 says the Messiah will come through the line of King David.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
Hosea 11:1 foretells Joseph and Mary would take Jesus to Egypt to protect him from King Herod.
“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.”
And Jeremiah 31:15 speaks of the carnage King Herod would cause to happen as he tried to kill the Messiah by murdering every male child two years of age and under.
“Thus says the Lord: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.”
And there are so many more prophecies that speak of the coming Messiah. All are fulfilled in Jesus, the Word.
God brought together his perfect plan to redeem us back to him. A simple plan with eternal consequences.
John 1: 12-14 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
So this Christmas, let’s remember God’s perfect gift to us. Born of a virgin, He died for our sins and ascended to heaven where He awaits God’s command to return.
A few weeks ago, my husband had an outpatient medical procedure done at a hospital. It was nothing serious, a simple health checkup that requires a few hours.
As I waited for him in the quiet hospital waiting room, a doctor came out and called to the only other person in my section of the room. As the woman and the doctor walked into a consultation room, the doctor began talking to this woman, and the news for her was grim.
I didn’t eavesdrop, but the waiting room was mostly deserted, very silent, and the walls in the consultation room were thin. I heard enough to know the woman’s husband had a procedure that didn’t go well. He was being admitted to the hospital where they would assess him and possibly move him to a larger facility that would be able to better care for him.
My heart went out to this woman. The results were hard. His procedure had been a failure because of what they found during the surgery. His chances didn’t sound promising.
When the woman came back out, I sat there praying for her. In that quiet room, she made a call to family, asking them to come. Her attempt at being strong in the face of this horrible turn of events amazed me. Yet, I heard the tears in her voice and the strain of the upcoming prognosis and decisions to be made.
As I sat there praying for her, she was on the other side of a divider. I felt the nudge of the Spirit and the request that I go talk to her. I am an introvert and don’t approach people, but when God asks, I try to listen and obey.
I moved to a chair catty-cornered from the woman’s and introduced myself. I explained that I’d heard the diagnosis for her husband wasn’t good, although I didn’t know details. I asked if she needed to talk.
Just that simple. Do you need to talk?
And she did. She told me about his health struggles and all that they’d gone through that day. She talked for long minutes and I listened. I had no wisdom concerning her husband’s health. What I had to offer her was comfort in the form of someone who cared.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” I Corinthians 13:1-3 (NKJV)
Approaching this woman and talking with her put me way out of my comfort zone, but I am reminded of the scripture above. It’s so easy to talk about God’s love with other Christians, it’s fun to dig into the Bible and see what God has to say, and I can always donate to help the poor. But, taking a step of faith, putting God’s love into practice in this way is what I’m meant to do. When God asks, I should always be ready to step out in faith and love.
I sat there with this hurting woman until she’d finished talking. I offered to pray for her. Then I left her to make more calls to her family. She sounded stronger as she made those calls and I like to think that the reminder of Who God is and that He cares helped. Extending God’s love is a part of who we should be, even if it means doing something uncomfortable. The blessing I received that day far surpassed the momentary discomfort.
I encourage you to take a step of faith and reach out to someone in love. Pray about it. I’m sure God has a person in mind that you would be able to bless.
“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” I Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV)
Happy Thanksgiving! Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States of America. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year, and I imagine many would agree. How amazing it is to have a whole day dedicated to giving thanks. But of course I also feel that gratitude is something we should practice all year long, not just one day in late November.
Perhaps you have heard me mention before that I like to keep a gratitude journal. Every night I try to jot down a few blessings from my day. I have been doing this for over four years. When I have seasons where I slack off, I can see clearly how my outlook on life falters.
I find that when we give thanks to God, and even extend a heartfelt “thank you” to those around us, it is a gift that blesses the giver and the recipient. When we take note of the blessings in our lives, we see how full our lives are, and this in turn fills our hearts.
If writing in a journal isn’t your thing, that’s okay. You could silently pray a prayer of gratitude. Or if you want combine thankfulness and the outdoors, you might take a gratitude walk. Today many families will take turns around the table mentioning things they are thankful for. I think this is a beautiful tradition as well.
However you decide to approach gratitude (today and every day), the most important thing is that you simply do it. It will look different for some of us. And that’s ok. But once you make a habit of it, you will be so glad you did. When we make a decision to choose gratitude every day, we will be amazed at how many blessings we find in our lives. Our eyes will be opened to see God’s goodness like never before. And our hearts will be filled with joy.
I hope you and yours have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV
Years ago I worked outside the home in an office setting located at the local senior center. I became acquainted with many of the seniors who frequented the place, and I loved hearing their stories. My office co-workers were also senior citizens, and they taught me much. Between these groups, I learned thankfulness.
These seniors grew up during the Depression. They didn’t take life for granted. They were so thankful for provision there were times it became a fear of lack and they saved things they’d never use or take more of something just in case. Until you’ve lived through a season where you aren’t sure if you get a next meal, you can’t understand. I didn’t. But what they had, even down to wrapping paper and crackers with their soup, they were thankful for those things.
Speaking of things, my co-workers lived in the area during the 1972 Agnes Hurricane that devastated our hometown as a flood. I was too young to remember but the pictures are haunting. Places I walk and visit were completely submerged. If you visit the Corning Museum of Glass, you will see the flood line and it is high. It was the hardest time my co workers had known.
They shared that even as I talked to them twenty years later they recall the smell of mud. Everything they owned was covered in mud and dirty waters. Precious pictures, antiques and so much Corning Glass, remember, my hometown is world headquarters for Corning Inc, were destroyed by the flood. When I would get upset about something like a spill on my sweater, my colleagues were quick to remind me that things were things. The flood taught them that anything tangible can be taken away. Focus on what counts like people and forget your car or furniture or clothes. They are just things.
Those memories are a great reminder as this year closes out. 2020 was certainly one to remember for all the wrong reasons and 2021 for me was actually worse. I lost my mom the first week of the year and it’s pretty hard to have a banner year after such a significant loss. The stress caused a lot of health issues. A lot of people I know were diagnosed with COVID, some did not survive. It’s been a tough, tough year.
At times I want to complain and whine, and honestly, my husband lets me vent on an extra hard day. When I’m tempted to choose bitterness, I remember the senior citizens. Most of them have passed away, but the lessons they taught me are very much alive. If I start to complain, I switch gears with an “anyway.”
Anyway gives me the opportunity to stop with the negative and start remembering and speaking why I’m thankful. When I start listing the reasons, even in the darkest season I have things to praise God for.
-Julie Arduini
My mom is not suffering. Last year she was in an excruciating amount of pain.
My mom is with Jesus. Her faith was authentic and personal and I have no doubt her eternal destination.
My mom escaped the brunt of this year’s current events. The news this year and what I believe is to come would have broken her heart. She loved this country and our freedoms.
I have a family that has let me grieve, make mistakes, and order out on days I couldn’t function.
There’s so much more I could say, but I’ll end with this, through all of the pain and circumstances I walked through this year, I felt God’s presence. I knew people were praying and I could feel His comfort. It is hard to put into words but when you know, you KNOW. I honestly can’t imagine surviving the year without my faith in Christ. For that, I am most thankful.
Anyway, (see that I did there?) how about you? What are you thankful for this year?
When they think about Jesus, many modern Christians picture Him walking the dusty roads of Palestine. Or they don’t think about the question of where He is at all. Early Christians were clear about where Jesus is. The apostles declared to the Jewish religious leaders that “God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins” (Acts 5:31). As he was being stoned to death, the deacon Stephen announced, “Look, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55-56). The apostle Paul taught in Romans 8:34, “Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” In Ephesians 1:20, Paul stated that God “raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.” In Colossians 3:1, he taught, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” Hebrews 1:3 declares, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” The same idea is repeated in Hebrews 1:13, 8:1, 10:12, and 12:2. In Revelation 3:21, Jesus promised, “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.” Revelation repeatedly describes the throne of God in heaven and the Lamb (Jesus, who died for our sins) next to it (Revelation 5:6,13, 6:16, 7:9-10,17). This consensus is hardly surprising. Jesus had taught this clearly to His followers: “From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64, Mark 14:62). Jesus told the same thing to the Jewish religious leaders who were about to have Him crucified: “But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God” (Luke 22:69). Jesus said (in Matthew 22:41-45, Mark 12:35-37, and Luke 20:41-44) that this was a fulfillment of Psalm 110:1: “The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.’” In his Pentecost sermon in Acts 2:32-36, the apostle Peter repeated this teaching and declared that Jesus had been raised to life and “exalted to the right hand of God.” Mark 16:19 records the simple fact: “After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.”
Where is Jesus? He is in heaven, ruling the universe with Almighty God and interceding for us. That is, He is the Lamb tempering God’s holy judgement with the promise, “Yes, they are guilty, but I died to pay the penalty they deserve so that we can forgive them.”
In 2014, I wrote this article about the True Meaning of Thanksgiving. Every year since, someone has asked me to run that article again. Perhaps this year it is even more relevant and important that we pause, remember, and count our blessings…
All words have power. But words that ignite truths, like the true meaning of Thanksgiving, are infused with an ability to change lives, to open closed minds and hearts, and to offer different perspectives. True meaning can be just what’s needed to see things more clearly or to set the proverbial light bulb in our minds aglow.
That alone is worthy of our gratitude, but in finding the true meaning of Thanksgiving, we also gain an awareness of how imperative it is to understand people. In those insights, we grasp and shape identity—that of others, and our own—and with that collective wisdom, we define, comprehend, and eventually come to appreciate the treasures found in tradition.
Why is tradition important?
What we learn from those who came before us gives us a firm hold on who we were, who we are, and who we choose to become. That knowledge solves a lot of conflicts, potential crises, and strengthens our sense of self—as individuals and as a nation.
So, what can we learn about Thanksgiving? What in it is significant to us today?
To answer those questions, we must ask: What does Thanksgiving really mean?
Time typically confuses things, and right now we’ve an abundance of confusion. Many say we’re neck-deep in a national identity crisis. So rather than discuss the confusion, let’s call on the wisdom of truth. Reacquaint ourselves with it—unfiltered—by returning to the man who officially established our nation’s Thanksgiving holiday.
In 1789, on Thanksgiving Day, George Washington issued the following Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, beginning a tradition in the United States of America that is celebrated still today.
George Washington
Washington’s 1789 Thanksgiving Day Proclamation
“Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor – and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
“Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be – That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks – for his kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation – for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war –for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed – for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
“And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions – to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually – to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed – to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord – To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and Us – and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
“Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
“G.O. WASHINGTON.”
By Washington’s own words, we see the true meaning of Thanksgiving. We gain insight. We find its truth. We rediscover the value in tradition. The wisdom of knowing our history. In all this, we see the mark of character, and individually we choose to shun or embrace it, deciding who we are, and who we will become.
May the traditional spirit of Thanksgiving be a blessing to you and yours. And in times that try souls and make us weary, may we remember to hold fast to our traditions—our identity—and embrace them with attitudes of gratitude. Because, for all our flaws and challenges, ours remains an exceptional nation of exceptional people. We might lose our way at times and forget who we are. Others might encourage that. But we have the treasures of our traditions and their true meanings to remind us.
This Thanksgiving, may we recall who we are, whose we are, why we are who we are, and the value of knowing who we wish to become. *
I hate John Grisham. He is a master wordsmith. In his crisp, clear prose, he can describe in two sentences a complex situation that lesser writers would require two paragraphs or two pages to adequately portray. A recent example is Sooley (Doubleday, 2021), a tale of a teenage boy from war-ravaged South Sudan who wins a basketball scholarship to a college in the United States.
Grisham can describe a village massacre with the same detached clarity he uses to describe a basketball game. The reader wants to stand up and scream, “No! Don’t do it! That shouldn’t happen!” But Grisham calmly finishes the description and moves on to describing some ordinary, mundane occurrence. Grisham once said he writes about lawyers and so he writes about sin. He is a master at writing Shakespearean tragedies. He leads us to become attached to certain characters and forces us to watch their inevitable fall into sin, evil, and tragedy. No one better portrays the seductive temptations of hedonism (money, possessions, entertainment, sex, alcohol, and drugs), sucking in the young, innocent, and vulnerable. I hate John Grisham because he forces me to confront the brokenness of the world. He leads me to grieve and mourn and cry.
We all have them. Moments in our life where we have to stand and face the giant before us and it sometimes feels as if we are ill-equipped to do battle. Whether it be a diagnosis that appears dire. A financial situation that feels hopeless. A child in rebellion. We all must walk into that valley, much like David did, and face our Goliaths.
1 Samuel 17:4- says, a champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels.
Can you imagine being a teenager and going up against such a seasoned soldier as Goliath? But David knew something that gave him the advantage before the battle began.
It’s not the size of our weapons but the size of our faith in God that matters. David went into the battle full of faith, and confident that God would give him and Israel the victory.
That’s the kind of faith I want to have that will let me step into my valley and face whatever warrior is standing before me like David did.
The battle that took place in Elah was one of the most pivotal between the nation of Israel and the Philistines. And if David hadn’t had the faith that he did, the outcome would have been entirely different.
David carefully chose five smooth stones, one slingshot, and the most important piece in his armory, his faith in God to deliver him.
The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand.”
So, before you step into the valley and face your Goliath, put on the full armor of God and keep your faith firmly ground in God. Like David did.
As we get ready for Thanksgiving, I’m reminded of why this is my favorite holiday. I’ve already got the turkey, side dish ingredients and can’t wait to start the pies.
I took over cooking for Thanksgiving many years ago and have to say, it’s the highlight of my year. Others might think taking on the whole production is too much, but this is where I shine. Others might also put Christmas in that category of preferred holiday, but I live in anticipation of the week when I get to prepare all the food.
I’m not really sure when Thanksgiving became my favorite. Perhaps when we lived up north and could really enjoy the autumn season. I looked forward to the summer temperatures cooling down. Then, before I knew it, the leaves changed color. Even back then I didn’t mind the time change, although as I’ve gotten older, I’m no longer a fan. I still decorate my house with pumpkins, leaves, acorns, you name it, to bring back those fall memories.
My mom and my aunts planned for the big day for weeks. Then we’d pack so many family members into the house, I don’t know how we all fit. And did they go all out! The dining room was elegantly decorated. A patterned tablecloth covered the long table, the china plates we only used on fancy occasions came out of the china cabinet, along with fancy glassware, to grace the table. Even the kid’s table was treated to all the hoopla.
There were appetizers, nuts, fruit, the main meal and all sorts of desserts. It seemed like we sat and ate for hours. When it was all said and done, we gathered together to clean up and wash the dishes. There was a satisfaction that came from knowing we were together on this special day.
Now that my children are grown, I try to bring back those traditions. I may not go all out like my mom and aunts, but I make sure the table is set in a special way and the sides are served in nice dishes. We may not celebrate like when I was a kid, but we do take our time though the meal and linger at the table. I suppose that’s what I love most, the unity, the memories and seeing the smiling faces of my family, no matter what kind of a year we had.
Before you know it, we’ll be cleaning that last plate after the Thanksgiving dinner and start counting the days until Christmas. The expectation starts all over again.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy a fun time of food, football and family.
Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Look for her next Harlequin Heartwarming romance, HER CHRISTMASTIME FAMILY, available November 30, 2021.For more information about her books, visit Tara at www.tararandel.com.Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks. Sign up for Tara’s Newsletter.
“Praise the LORD! I will thank the LORD with all my heart as I meet with his godly people.” – Psalm 111:1
It is believed that Psalm 111 was written after the citizens of Judah had returned from captivity. When I read this Psalm recently, I was thinking about how thankful the people must have been to return to their homeland. After being in captivity, away from home, for many years – I can imagine the joy they had to return to Judah.
Yet I also looked at this from a different angle. What if they didn’t express their gratitude to God? When we have something good happen or when we have a breakthrough in some area, do we always thank God? Sometimes we do. But I wonder how many times we simply forget? We might have prayed for a certain situation, but then when we got what we wanted, we didn’t take the time to thank God. Or perhaps there are other situations where we sat in despair for so long that our hearts became bitter. When things finally changed for the better, maybe we still had a chip on our shoulder and we didn’t spare God a second glance.
It grieves me to think of times when I might have neglected to show God my gratitude. We have a loving Father who cares for our every need. While it’s true that not everything in life will go the way we want it to, it’s also true that God showers us with blessings every day. We have so much to be thankful for. And when things do not got the way we expected, we can be grateful to have a trustworthy God who had a reason for steering events in a different direction. He always has our best interest in mind. And He always works things together for good. As it says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” We have to learn to trust Him and put our complete faith in Him. And when we do that, gratitude comes naturally.
Thanking God for His goodness, for the blessings in our lives, and for who He is, should be an important part of our Christian walk and our prayer life. Let us take a few minutes each day to sit down with God and offer a prayer of gratitude.
One more thing … Today is Veteran’s Day in the United States. So I wanted to say thank you to our veterans, including my father who served in the United States Army. Those of us who live in freedom do so because of others who made our freedom possible!
(Side note: Did anyone else notice that today is 11/11 and the chapter and verse referenced above were 111:1? I did not plan that, but it caught my attention!)
Christians Read 