MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY

Community Thanksgiving services were part of my childhood.  In the early 1960's they were held at 10:00 AM on Thanksgiving Day.  They moved from one church to another as the years unfolded.  It could not have been convenient for the women who were trying to prepare feasts for their families.  I remember a couple of years that just my father and I attended.  We would worship that day with many of our neighbors, expressing our gratitude to God for His blessings and gifts!  Depending on what church was the host, we would experience different styles of worship.  I was always quite impressed with the pipe organs in a few of the churches - so majestic.  Their swells of tympanic music seemed to carry our thanksgiving hymns to the heavens in a far more appropriate manner than at other times.
The corporate reading of scripture was an expression of our unity.  The responsive readings caused us to breathe in unison.  The hearty exchange of greetings on a national day of giving thanks to God was filled with meaning and sincerity!  I remember clearly being moved by these experiences!

Over the years I always chose to participate with the local ministerial groups that represented the communities where I served churches.  I've helped plan the unity services and along with my people have also hosted them on many occasions.  I always tried to make them as special as I could.  Typically the communities observed three times of combined focus:  Thanksgiving, Holy Week and the National Day of Prayer.  Few communities still share these times of emphasis.

This year, Debbie and I attended the Mohawk Area Church Association Community Thanksgiving service at the Westfield Presbyterian Church.  It was held on Sunday evening.  I enjoyed the experience immensely!  It included a community choir of sixty members who gave us three musical treatises that lifted our spirits.  A local group of capable musicians - called Edelweiss - accompanied the choir (along with a drummer);  they also provided pre-worship music that helped focus our thoughts.  The Westfield Faithful Bells presented two magical bell songs that thrilled us with their skill and passion.  A very young lady sang "The Lord's Prayer".  A middle-aged man with an amazing tenor voice sang "Bless This House".  The hymns we sang (with pipe organ accompaniment) gave voice to words that many of us have sung for decades!  It was all very familiar - which can be a good thing, right?

The scripture readings were appropriate and the message was stimulating.  Host (Interim) Pastor Chris Carlson challenged us with inspiring thoughts.  I was particularly moved by his comments (based on Deuteronomy 26:1-12) about giving of the first fruits.  He pointed out that this instruction from God caused the people to act in faith!  They were to give the first fruits of their crops as an offering to the Lord.  They were to give these first fruits without any assurance that the rest of their crops would come with abundance or in good condition.  They were to exercise their faith by putting God first!  We were challenged to do the same!

All in all, the service was wonderful and was attended by a fair group from at least ten different congregations.  We were Methodist, Presbyterians, Catholics, Baptists, Covenenters, and probably a few others;  but Sunday night we were all just people who are grateful to God for His many kindnesses!  I was blessed!  I am blessed!

Personally, I have much to be grateful for!

•   Though deaf in one ear, with the help of hearing aids I can hear.
•   Though I had a torn retina in my right eye about seventeen years ago, I can see with that eye.  Every time I have an eye exam the doctor marvels that the eye still works!
•   I enjoy amazing good health;  typical, age-appropriate aches and pains, but strength and health abound!
•   God faithfully meets all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus!  Debbie and I love our retirement home.  After many years of living in parsonages, we can now put a nail in the wall anywhere we want to!  :-)  His provisions through the Social Security system and the Free Methodist pension program allow us to meet all our monthly needs.  We are abundantly blessed with material possessions!
•   We have friends from literally many nations around the world!  Living for three years with the Changchun University International students built a base of friendships with students from China, Russia, Mongolia, Viet Nam, Korea, the Philippines, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekastan, Ukraine, Myanmar, Thailand, India, Cambodia, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo, and others.  We still keep in communication with many of these friends!  
•   We have family connections that are deeply meaningful to us!  Deb's family have been a support system for us through the years.  Her siblings are integral to  our lives!  My family has also always been a blessing to us.  We gathered recently for a weekend to make apple butter together.  What a wonderful time we had!
•   We have our children and our precious grandchildren (along with an awesome daughter-in-law and two incredible sons-in-law)!  They mean the world to us!  Our time with them is the most treasured thing we have on this earth!  We live for those moments!
•   We have our faith!  The most intimate thing Debbie and I do together is to pray!  Often it's done late at night or early in the morning as we lay with our arms around each other.  We enjoy sharing our faith with our family, our church and others!  It clearly gives purpose and direction to our lives!
•   And we have each other!  Today, our Thanksgiving meal included turkey, stuffing, corn, sweet potato cassarole, cranberry salad, and mashed potatos.  Later, we'll have some of Debbie's 'blue-ribbon' apple pie!  For the first time in forty-six years it was just the two of us at the table!  And that's okay.  I love her and she loves me.  We love being together!  She's God's greatest blessing to my life!  

So, we're thankful!  Truly thankful!  We came from godly homes and have replicated - by God's grace - that faith into the homes of our children!  What more could we ask for?  

Thank You, Father,

for the grace and mercy You've extended in our direction!

Thank You for filling our cups so full!

Help us to faithfully live to Your honor!

Help us to make a difference in our world!

Help us to love people with abandon!

Help us to be generous!

For Jesus' sake.

Amen.