I don't know about you, but I am truly glad that the elections are finally over and we are getting back to "normal"...whatever that is! No more obnoxious, negative commercials and seeing who can outdo the other with crass slurs against their opponents. Regardless of your political persuasion and position, I know you have to agree that this pre-election season was a bit of a strain on all of our nerves. Now my hope is that we can agree to pray for our leaders in government and that we can stand united against our common enemies and foes. There is so much more at stake today than worrying about which party has control and who can solve all our country's problems. We need to get on our knees and pray that God will protect and guide all our leaders and give them Godly wisdom so that our nation can continue to exist as One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for ALL! (That's the end of my political speech for today. You may sit back down. :)

  

I woke up this morning thinking it felt like Christmas since we were getting up so "early" (end of daylight savings time for the winter) and it was so warm and toasty in my bed and so chilly in my house!!

  

I don't know about you, but I want to celebrate Thanksgiving before I get started on Christmas. In my humble opinion Thanksgiving gets overlooked by too much Christmas commercialism. The stores have already "decked the halls with boughs of holly" and are doing their best to lure us in to buy, buy, buy. I understand that they want to give a "boost" to the economy by giving more pre "black Friday" sales and giving a jumpstart to the Christmas shopping frenzy. And I am certainly in favor of lower prices so I can do my own Christmas shopping...BUT...can we first take some time to pause and be thankful?

Thankful for our health...our own, as well as the health of our family and friends. (Yes! Thank you Lord for Matthew's healing...I claim this by faith today)

• Thankful for answered prayer on behalf of others.
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• Thankful for our jobs - especially if, like me, you were previously un-employed and God has heard your prayer and given you a job this past year.
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• Thankful for shelter and and clothes and food.
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• Thankful for family, friends, and good neighbors and co-workers
• Thankful for a year without serious weather problems, i.e., hurricanes, tornadoes, floods...at least for us here in Florida. Others in other parts of the country or world may have had to suffer through some of these things, but are thankful to still be alive and have a place to call home.
• Thankful for our country...even with all of its problems, it is still the best place to live in the whole world.
• Thankful for our military...for the sacrifices they are making on our behalf...securing freedom not only for our nation, but for others around the world who would never have had a chance at freedom had it not been for our men and women in uniform giving up their lives for them.
• Most of all, I am thankful for Jesus, my Lord and Savior, Who made the greatest sacrifice of all for all of humanity...He gave up His life so that we might have eternal life...forever and ever, to live with Him in heaven...there is no greater gift than this. And the best part of this gift is that it is FREE!

Romans 5: 1-8 says,

  

• "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
•  And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
•  Perseverance - Character
•  Character - Hope
• Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
• For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
• For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
• But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Yes, I know that I have much for which to be thankful today. Why don't we all start preparing for Thanksgiving by listing these things and giving God the glory due His Name? This kind of holiday preparation doesn't cost a single cent...it only gives back to you the overwhelming sense of joy and thankfulness and peace. Joy in realizing just how much God has done for us...Thankfulness for the gifts we did not deserve, and peace of heart and mind and soul...knowing that just as God has provided and cared for us thus far, He will continue to do so in the future...both now and for eternity! Hallelujah! Praise His Name!!! Amen!

 

Now...are YOU ready for Thanksgiving? Actually, that even helps me to get really ready for Christmas...the true Christmas...but that is another whole story that we'll talk about a little later...after Thanksgiving...