reallife.MINISTRIES

a twofer today

so we're gonna do tuesday's question and wednesday's wisdom together.
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question of the week:

this week's question, obviously would be remiss if it didn't involve thanksgiving, so . . .

(easy): what's your favorite 2 thanksgiving dinner foods?? in other words if you could only eat two things this thanksgiving what would you want to eat?

(harder): will you (or did you, depending on when you read this) just give a pat answer to the "what are you thankful for?" question during this year's family get together, because you don't feel comfortable being transparent with you're own friends and family? if so, why? and would you feel comfortable being transparent here in the comments section? AND if you are honest, by all means tell us what you're thankful for?

as for me . . . (easy) mashed potatos and apple pie. if i could only have two dishes, that's what i'd pick. (hard) well, it'd be pretty hard for me to just give a "pat answer" now, don't you think? especially since i'll be eating thanksgiving dinner with some people that read this blog, so they're gonna know that i'm expecting more from their answers. i'll think about it more tonight and tomorrow morning and let you know what i come up with.
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wednesday wisdom:

what are you thankful for? giving thanks, that's what this is all about right? i was struck by how many times i heard from people today, "have a great turkey day!" and not just from non-church goers, also church attenders. there was no mention of giving thanks. so first it was Christmas, and now Thanksgiving has been 'secularized'. or maybe it's only now that i've noticed it.

i think it's because we're considering homeschooling our kids, and as such i'm realizing much more my role as teacher to my kids. i know, i know i should have had this outlook a lot sooner, like 4 kids ago sooner; but i'm here now. so i'm trying to make a conscious effort to teach them the true reasons of holidays. such as focusing on 'giving' rather than 'getting' for Christmas. (yes i know the real reason for Christmas is the birth of Christ, but with merchant's advertising in full swing, we'll tackle one elephant at a time.)

this past sunday our church hosted the "community thanksgiving service", which as the name suggests all the churches of the community get together for a thanksgiving service. the speaker, a fellow youth pastor, brought the message. he explained that being thankful as the one greatful leper meant getting to the place where we "can't not tell other people" what God has done in our lives and then do something about it. that's a pretty good definition, if you can follow it.

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. // 1 Thessalonians 5:18

let me point out to you the "God's will" part for you in the passage above. that's may seem pretty hard to swallow. i mean it seems to be pretty plain, in black and white, and hard to escape what God's will for your life is. in case you were wondering, as a Christian, now you know. and what is that will?? to "be thankful." and if that wasn't hard enough, it goes further and says, "in all circumstanecs"!

now first of all let me make it clear, that it does not say for all things but in all things. there's a difference. and secondly, being thankful by vary nature implies that you're thankful for something and to someone.

so i ask again what's your something? and who's your Someone?

|| posted by reallife.MINISTRIES @ 9:33 PM Comments: 1