First Christian Church, Flora, Indiana

November, 2009

It is almost time to get the carving knives out. Pull out the fine china and get the house ready for Thanksgiving. It might mean we pack the car and ride to a relative’s for the holiday or it might mean we stay home and cook for two or three. Or, we might be the hosts for all our family and friends. Regardless, it takes some preparation to get ready for “Turkey Day.”

How do we prepare our hearts for that day? I liked the list entitled, “I am thankful…” that appeared in Tidings earlier this month. So, why mess with perfection? I share it here as a list of suggestions we might want to be thankful for this year. It was written by Dale Schoenihg of Renwick Iowa, and I share it with you today:

I AM THANKFUL…..
…for the teenager who is not doing dishes but is watching TV, because that means he is at home and not on the streets.

…for the taxes I pay, because it means that I have a job.

…for the mess to clean up after a party, because it means I have been surrounded by friends.

…for the shadow that watches me work, because it means I am out in the sunshine.

…for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need washing and gutters that need fixing, because it means I have a home.

…for all the complaining I hear about the government, because it means that we have freedom of speech.

…for the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot, because it means I am capable of walking and that I have been blessed with transportation.

…for my huge heating bill, because it means I am warm.

…for the lady behind me in church who sings of key, because it means I can hear.

…for the pile of laundry, because it means I have clothes to wear.

…for the clothes that fit a bit too snug, because it means I have enough to eat.

…for the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours, because it means that I am alive!

Pastor Woody