Thanksgiving Week Randomness

Psalm 100 (The Message)

A Thanksgiving Psalm

On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter,
sing yourselves into his presence.

Know this: God is God, and God, God.
He made us; we didn't make him.
We're his people, his well-tended sheep.

Enter with the password: "Thank you!"
Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him.

For God is sheer beauty,
all-generous in love,
loyal always and ever.

We had a wonderful time at church and Sunday school this morning, with more to come this evening - our annual Thanksgiving dinner, with a short service following in which we focus on gratitude. Our sermon this morning began with the above Psalm from the Message. We read it in unsion, and it blessed me to tears.

I have told you once before about Flora, the Jewish lady who attends our church. She has become so much a part of us. She enjoys our company so much, and thanks us every chance she gets for our friendship, "even though I'm not a Christian." She's in her eighties and clings to the traditions of her Jewish life, and seems to be very afraid to accept the Lord. But she is close. Our pastor bought her a book to read, A Rose From the Ashes. It is about a Jewish woman who has become a Christian. I am reading it at her request. I would love to discuss it with her after I finish - I want to know what she thought. I am planning to get her a copy of The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. She mentions the Holocaust every week, and the injustice eats at her. She cannot put the two together - that horror and a loving and just God.

We'll have 19 here for Thanksgiving dinner. I'll do the turkey, gravy, and my "famous" crescent rolls. Everybody else brings everything else. It'll be fun.

I want to thank Mary of Mary's Writing Nook, for this lovely award.

We have definitely become a community, and I love and appreciate each and every friend I've made in this unique way. We have been through a lot together!

We are leaving on December 6 for Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii, to celebrate our 35th anniversary. There is much to do before then. I plan to try to put up one of my two trees Thanksgiving night after everyone leaves (unless I can snag some help from some of my company). I need to have all of my decorating done by the end of the week-end, since I need to do some entertaining before we leave. I also need to have my shopping done. Yikes! I know it's probably not okay, but I think everyone's getting gift cards this year. I know Barb, Becky, and Robin are cringing. But --- you've gotta do what you've gotta do. I hope to do Boo Mama's Christmas Tour of Homes from my laptop over there. Believe it or not, we will arrive back home on Sunday morning, the 16th, in time to attend Care Bear's first Christmas program (in which she actually plans to sing, overcoming her stage fright - praying for that!), and also sing in our cantata that night (DC has a solo and a duet with his sister). I should have some great shots to share either during or after, depending upon how much time I spend sitting on the beach while DC snorkels.

Many of you have probably been sent the following video. I love it and hope you do, too. And that it circles the globe with its message!