The Aroma of Gratitude

Ah, Thanksgiving Day. One day of celebrating and giving thanks is 364 days too short. We're WAY too blessed not to do as Paul exhorts us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18:

"in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Today we remember the first Thanksgiving Day, and the providence of the Lord working through the faithful pilgrims. They risked their lives for freedom to worship God in spirit and truth over 350 years ago. We remember the blessings we are still experiencing thanks to them.




Today, we feasted. Two tables end to end, tablecloths of golden wheat, floating candles, the aroma of a cornucopia of hearty food, all melding together to create an ambiance of warmth. Green beans/bacon, cranberry salad, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, corn, sweet-potato-marshmallow casserole, homemade rolls, and of course, turkey, all laid out buffet-style.





I'm so thankful for my friends and family seated around the table. Conversations and fellowship were lively and words of wisdom spoken. Once bellies bulged to capacity, the "under 40 crowd" sunk to the cool of the basement and played a pretty intense game of Dutch-Blitz; fast paced for everyone being so engorged. Of course, I finished the game with -65. ;) We resurfaced for 3 kinds of pie and sparkling cider. T'was good indeed.

During dinner, we read snippets of wisdom on the spirit of thanksgiving, and warnings on ingratitude. I'm not sure of the sources of some of these, but I'll share some with you. I hope they encourage your heart like they did mine...

"Ingratitude is the mark of rank worldliness. It is the mark of an unbeliever. It is the character of an infidel to be ungrateful. Paul, in describing a lost world, said in Romans 1:21, 'Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful.' You are never more like a lost man, an unbeliever, than when you are ungrateful." -unknown

"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving." - Colossians 4:2

Shakespeare described ingratitude as a "Marble-Hearted Fiend." That is, he said that an ingrate had the heart of solid marble. Shakespeare went on to say, "I hate ingratitude more in man than lying, vainness, babbling, drunkenness, or any taint of vice, whose strong corruption inhabits our frail blood."

"The key to unlocking a heart of gratitude and overcoming bitterness, ugliness, disrespect, and violence is a strong sense of dependence on God the Creator, Sustainer, Provider, and Hope-Giver. ...Remembering our dependence on past mercies kindles gratitude. Pondering the promises of tomorrow's mercies kindles faith. Gratitude is past-oriented dependence; faith is future-oriented dependence. Both forms of dependence are humble, self-forgetting, and God exalting... O that we might guard our hearts from the arrogance that unleashes a thousand evils in the world! Humble gratitude for all God has done for us in the past and humble trust in all He promises to do for us in the future --- this is the key." - (John Piper, A Godward Life, 46)

Matthew Henry, the famous Bible teacher, was once accosted by theives and robbed of all his money. He wrote these words in his diary: "I am so very thankful. First, because I was never robbed before. Second, because although they took my purse they did not take my life. Third, because although they took everything I had, it wasn't very much. Fourth, it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed."

Someone else has written these words: "The thief may have some streaks of honesty in him, the deadbeat spots of honor, the liar hours when he loves the truth, the libertine occasions when he has impulses to be pure; but there is nothing redemptive in the ingrate."

"Thus out of small beginnings greater things have grown by His hand Who made all things out of nothing, and gives being to all things that are; and as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light enkindled here has shone to many, yea, in a sense, to our whole nation; let the glorious name of Jehovah have all the praise." - William Bradford, circa 1630

The sun is down now, and the last streaks of purple have faded from the rafters of the sky, and all is mellow inside. I see His rich grace as I look around the room at all I have that I don't deserve, and I see His kind mercy as I don't see what I do deserve. Past and present and future, the faithfulness of our Lord is astounding...and I know I don't even know the half of it. I'm so thankful for His grace to give thanks in everything, His mercy when I fail, and His ability to keep me from falling into ingratitude. May His mercy and grace continue to turn us into a grateful people!

"When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you." - Deut. 8:10

A Happy Thanksgiving to you, today and everyday!

~A

Serving Size: One

I was thinking the other day about food. Well, so what's new, right? :) I was pondering serving sizes, actually. Most packaged foods tell you how many serving sizes are in the box, or can, or whatever. We usually eat the more than the suggested serving size on most foods. Fast food joints feed you a meal that is easily more than one serving size, not to mention a pet peeve of mine: the "straws" they give you to slurp your super-sized soda seem more closely related to a garden hose than a straw. But I digress...

When my siblings and I make cookies, we typically double or triple the batch 'cause in larger families like ours, there just isn't enough cookie to go around otherwise. Plus, factor in a few big boys (and little ones for that matter) who think the serving size of a cookie is 5 per person and suddenly 24 cookies don't seem like that many. ;) And occasionally the overdose of cookies leads to heartburn.

But there is another way of getting heartburn. The serving size of a human heart, contrary to what popular culture says, is only one. Like Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." - Matthew 6:24. You can't serve God and sin, God and personal peace and affluence, God and selfish ambition, God and anything else. That doesn't mean go join the local monastery or nun cloister. We serve God by loving one another, dying to self, doing our best in business, etc, and by enjoying Him forever! The human heart was made to serve one - The One. Anything else causes heartburn. Thankfully, He helps us keep our hands out of the proverbial cookie jar, and in His service!

Peace,

Audrey

Jeff's 19th Birthday

November 3rd, 1990, I ceased to be an only child, because on that day, my Mom gave birth to a big ol' boy: Jeffrey David King. He was a fat and happy baby, and in the following years in diapers, very compliant with whatever plans my toddler mind schemed up. I taught him everything he knew, from climbing stairs to escaping down the street in our Pampers while Daddy napped (I was naughty, I know). 19 years into this sibling relationship, and he is no longer a jolly child with ringlets of white curls and fat rolls. He's a 6' tall 175 lb really cool guy.

Jeff, or J.D. as he is known to his friends, is 19 years old today, and sadly, isn't home to celebrate. He is working on a film adventure in south-west Montana. Since he's not here, I'll brag about him a little bit. :)

He is athletic, handsome, and smart, but better yet, he's pretty wise too. He has a vision to use filmmaking, and anything he does, to the glory of God, and I think that is awesome. At 19, Jeff is more mature than most 20-somethings I know. He is a senior in college without setting foot in a college classroom. He has used CollegePlus online, and completely taught himself. I don't think a degree is something special, but I think his self-discipline and initiative is. And that will carry him to success, not a piece of state-certified paper. He has a humble spirit, but he's bold in truth. His heroes are men who have been courageous enough to stand for God's truth in the face of darkness, and so change history. I think he will be one of them.

So here's to my big-little brother, Jeff. I am thankful to be so blessed with such a godly brother and friend, and look forward to many more adventures together, though hopefully not in Pampers diapers. Happy Birthday Jeff!