Pastor Craig - November 2018

 Suzanne forwarded this to me back in August. It was the saying that someone had put with a minion on it. I kept it so that we can always have a perspective on what we have and who we are as people of God. For those of us that have experienced the “fun” of a Black Friday shopping experience, we all know that it is just nuts or in many ways to watch people who are willing to spend the night before “camped out” to save a few dollars on a Flat Screen-TV that will be going for the same price later in the month. It is the experience. It is the thrill. My Ex-Father-In-Law referred to looking at the ads on Thanksgiving Day as preparing for the BIG GAME.

 Here’s the thing. We have all lived with the “must have toys for Christmas”, like the Cabbage Patch Dolls, Beanie Babies, Tickle Me Elmo, remember Furbies. All of which sooner or later end up at the Rummage Sale.

 As people of God, we need to always appreciate what God has already given us. Thanksgiving is that time when we as a nation come together to realize the good things that surround us. In our families, we get a chance just to bow our heads and give thanks for making it through another year. Yet, the reminder is to appreciate and give thanks the year round so we don’t get sucked into a “gotta-have” in order to be happy mentality.

 God gives us gifts every single day. He never tires from giving and continues to give all that he has which included his son. The challenge for us is to not to take the gifts for granted. My prayer is that this gift will become so much a part of your life that it will cause you to live a life of gratitude not of accumulation.

 In the coming days, we will be surrounded with the pictures of turkeys and pilgrims, and children will draw and hear of that first Thanksgiving in school. But the challenge remains, for us to give thanks constantly and continuously. In our world, it is easy to become discouraged. Yet, when we think about our lives and look for something to be thankful for it will come. So today as you read this take a moment to think of one thing you are thankful for and say THANK YOU to God.

In Christ,

Pastor Craig