Ten Thousand Blessings and Counting

Ten Thousand Blessings, and Counting

November 24, 2016


This Thanksgiving is the first one in years without family.  It's easy to think of things to be thankful for when grandchildren, and children are running around - at least that's true in my situation.  I can imagine some folks distressed about family time.  So, I began the day with an ATV ride around the farm we are staying on.  I'm thankful for the ATV, the farm we are on, the hospitality of the folks who opened it up to us and that we close on our new home in just six days.  As I drove around giving thanks, it dawned on me how often gratitude is about things, and places, and sights and...well, material sort of things.  If we are to believe Paul in 1 Timothy 4:4-5, then I imagine people are something to be thankful for.  That's easy with my wife, my family and people who are easy to like - like much of the congregations(s) I am privileged to serve.  What about EGR (Extra Grace Required) people?  Surprisingly, especially as I've aged, I'm thankful for them too.  God doesn't make junk, and most of us start to act badly because we let junk invade our hearts.  Experience has taught me that conflict with EGR people has brought about growth in me.  I think, if we allow Him, God uses such experiences to help rid us of our own junk.  So everything, everyone, is to be received with thanksgiving.  I guess the short of it is that I am thankful for jerks, i just pray others have the same attitude about me when I let junk in and the let the jerk come out.

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