For Tuesday, November 26th, 2013

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26TH, 2013

2 days until Thanksgiving

25 DAYS UNTIL WINTER

29 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

Sunrise:7:30 am

Sunset:5:02 pm

If you can't see the Bright Side, polish the dull side

THANKSGIVING

We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven. We have been preserved, the many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.

    Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to God that made us! It behooves us, then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.

April 30, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln’s Proclamation
for a National Day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, thank you, that would suffice.  

Meister Eckhart

After reading the proclamation by President Lincoln, I realized how true these words are for our own time as well, not just back in 1863.  We often forget that we alone are not responsible for what we have.  All blessings do come from God.  We may supply the hands and feet to get the job done but He provides the blessing themselves. I’ve been trying to be more thankful for what I have.  We take so much for granted it seems.  

Except for watching some of my grandchildren this week, it is relatively quiet here for me this week.  After our family celebration this past weekend, my Thanksgiving celebrating is done.  It’s time now to put away the fall decorations and bring out the Christmas things here at my house.  Advent begins this Sunday.  It will then be only 4 weeks until Christmas and I need to find my Advent Wreath and set it out on the dining room table.  

As part of my Christmas preparations, I’ll be posting a verse a day of the Christmas story beginning Sunday.  It is the greatest story ever told and is one I never tire of.  Just like Lincoln’s proclamation it relates to us today more than ever before. The story reminds us to prepare the way of the Lord.   Let us do what God requires of us and leave the rest in His Hands.

I hope you all have TERRIFIC Tuesday!

COUNTING MY GIFTS

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.  

Edward Sandford Martin

I have counted at least 3 things every day that I'm thankful for this past year and have now reached my 1000 gifts.  I'm not stopping, but will continue on counting.  There is always, always something to be thankful for.

1166. for the stories that never grow old

1167. for all my grandchildren

1168. for reminders, they help us keep on track

Enter into His courts with thanksgiving — and in His presence is fullness of Joy!

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

 

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

 

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU ALL !

He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart.

J.A. Shedd

A little smile, a word of cheer, 

A bit of love from someone dear…

 

Love,

ma