Another thanksgiving is upon us today. This meal is the meal of the year for some. Today is the day where Americans are remembering to be thankful for their blessings. I hope for most us that we remember that being alive is a blessing, because then we have one more day to give up our lives to Christ. We have one more day to figure out what we need to change in our hearts. That is what I am most thankful for everyday.
Remember today is just another day, and tomorrow all the same blessings and problems will still be there. This meal is one of my favorites of the year. The holiday is not my favorite any longer. I am missing my grandmother and uncle a lot right now with a heavy heart. I am thankful that when I see my dad today it will be another year with him. He had emergency heart surgery last year the Monday after thanksgiving. I have been thinking a lot about this time last year. All within a 5 week span I lost two of the most important individuals in my life, and I could have lost a third all during the thanksgiving. I was a mess.
I will share with you a legendary Stroud family (my mom’s family) story about one thanksgiving, and of course it involves my uncle. My family is very strong willed, and we can say anything to each other, but we do not take kindly to others outside of the family hurting one of us. My dad and my uncle did not get a long. They really didn’t like each other much after the divorce. The wedding was a little stressful because of that. We had no idea what my uncle was going to say to him. My mother basically told my uncle that she would beat the crap out of him if he ruined my wedding. He loved me enough not to say anything.
During a thanksgiving meal that my grandmother, my mother’s mother had prepared for us a food fight broke out by my dad towards my uncle. There had been some drinking going on and my uncle was on role as usual. He asked my dad to pass the stuffing balls. My grandmother made stuffing in pre-made scoops, and they just happened to be by my father when my uncle asked for them. My dad had, had it by that point so he proceeded to fling the stuffing ball across the table and it hit my uncle in the face. I still can hear the laughter of my family in my mind after that happened of those that are still with us and those that aren’t. My dad will bring up that story today, because it makes him so happy to talk about. Some of my mom’s family will talk about that story. We never hide about how we feel about each.
God forbid we ever play trivial pursuit together. I warned my husband about this when were about ready to play with him for the first time. I told him don’t answer the question unless are you sure that you know the answer. They will never forget the one time that you gave the wrong one, and your team lost the game. God I miss those times. We had a lot of fun. My husband’s family loves to play games, but I am too competitive. They are really nice when they play games together, so I never play because of that.
There is a lot that I am thankful for this year; not having an attack, my parents coming together in kindness again after 27 years, and giving more control to God. I have been juggling my parents divorce for years. Those are their issues, but I have to be respectful of them in that. When I was so sick last year they bonded again over a dinner that I was giving a speech at for MS. The next time I saw them together being kind was at the Bastrop fire donations. Both times I heard words from my parents that I knew I had earned from them. They do not give praise lightly, and I don’t take that for granted when they do. They did a lot damage to each other and it took them a long time to get over that. I get that much more now than I did.
The fires this year were devastating, and that is when I really started to pay attention to the actions of what God wanted me to do. I was so overwhelmed in witnessing the beauty of the citizens in this state that week. The individuals that lost everything in that fire and were given gifts they were overwhelmed with through your generosity in tears of joy and praise to God for that. Remember the act that you did for your neighbor that week, because God knew you could. You showed him the very act of selfless love.
I am thankful for our new church. Our pastor reminds of John MacArthur in his tell it like it is manner. I can attest that I have not one sermon that has been watered down regarding scripture. We need that, because it holds us accountable and deflates our egos and pride in ourselves. I like that, because it keeps me in check about what I am capable of doing. What we are all capable of doing, but we still know that we are so worthy to be loved God and he believes that. God is holding me back right now about giving my time in a new church. I did that because I thought that what was expected of me. The appearance was more important.
I go into church each Sunday now, and I have stopped worrying about the pretense of what other Christians think I should be doing. My husband and I have stopped saying to each other about what we need to do in our relationship with God and the church. No more you need to go to bible study. No more you need to volunteer for this or that. No more pretending that we really want to be there. Then it becomes a lie. Don’t to do that that to your spouse. You are trying to control them. Our relationship is our own not your spouse’s. God gave us his son to in death for that reason. Don’t pretend just because someone doesn’t think you are being a Christian.
I have found over the last year that God wants action most of all. We can say words of affirmation or feel remorse for someone or something, but are they are hollow? I have found that we have the ability to lose site of who we are as Christians because of what other Christians think we should be. That just means they love the world, and the appearance of being a Christian more. I am thankful for this actually because huge trials have been before me this year, because to give him more. I taking that for granted ever again. Trials usually become blessing over time. There is always a bigger picture to what he is doing in our lives no matter how much pain there could be.
Today when we are stressing out about being in the room with our families remember they may be having a hard time too. Be thankful that we have a table and meal to share, because so many in this country don’t have that today. They are so many worried about paying for this meal when they can barely pay their bills or don’t have a job. Remember that we have to accept and love individuals with all their flaws, because God knows they are worthy. Don’t worry so much about what others don’t want to see in themselves. That is being judgmental. We are accountable to God first, and then the other things will fall into place if we just listen to him. Be most thankful for the fact that he does think you are worthy and he loves you tremendously.
The best part about today for me is that I get to have lunch with my family, but after a couple of hours with them I get to come home with my boys and my husband. It will be just the 4 of us the rest of today.
“For God so loved the world, (this is us) that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
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