Entering into the Christmas season is always a great pleasure for me. Not the pushing and shoving and shopping and such, but the hustle and bustle does invigorate one. No, it's the celebration: the decorating of the home, the setting and celebrating of traditions; sappy Christmas movies that don't really have much to do with Christmas itself but do enlarge the spirit of the Holiday within the hearts of those who watch, the many versions of "Little Drummer Boy" that keep cropping up, "visions of sugarplums" dancing in all the heads of all the little children who've ever heard the poem by Clement Moore.

But what makes Christmas special is not just the Christ-child, it is the CHRIST, the Son of the living God - Jesus Himself. Born of a virgin. Living a sinless life in order to fulfill His purpose in coming at Christmastime anyway--to shoulder the responsibility for my sin willingly on a rough-hewn cross. I am so thankful that Jesus initiated Christmas so that my inadequate payment for my sin would be covered by all of His adequacy - His abundance. It is the Life found in Jesus the Christ that makes me so thankful every year, at both Thanksgiving and at Christmas.

(Advent Preview 4)

Peace.

When you hear the word, the image that comes to mind is often of the long-haired hippie in rosy-colored glasses raising his hand up with a two-fingered 'V' saying, "Peace! Baby." Or with a new vigor for it, you may think of the broken cross symbol that some people claim means peace.

But for me, my mind races back to those days when I see one of my children as a round-headed, bald-pated infant sleeping on their pillow, a soft smile touching their tiny lips.

Peace.

Another of those inner springs that well up not because of circumstance, but often in spite of it. In the midst of an embattled war zone - peace. At the end of a crime-ridden alleyway - peace. On the long dark ride from the chapel to the graveside - peace.

Peace.

It happens in that moment of overpowering triumph and it envelopes the sense of query that accompanies the times we cannot control. This is because in order to have peace, one must relinquish control to someone else. And if you really want to find peace, I would suggest that you relinquish your control to the One who alone has control--Jesus Christ. And because of Him I am thankful for . . .

Peace!

(A third Advent preview during the Thanksgiving season)

I love the thought of joy, don't you? That exuberance you experience for no apparent reason. It just bubbles up and you can't hold it in. We're not talking about mere happiness here, but boundless, life-filling . . . well . . . joy. Perhaps this video will make my point:



I am so thankful for Joy.

(Here's another Advent preview. Hope you enjoy)

Love comes at us in all directions and in many forms. We love our children. We love our parents. We love our sports teams. We love chocolate. We love pie (and how we love pie). But all of these examples of love don't really touch what the real thing is, do they? As a matter of the fact, some of these examples are more love-y than others.

Love is that great intangible that the Bible teaches us is the greatest. The apostle Paul writes to the Corinthian church: "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (I Corinthians 13:13)

You can't see love, though you can see evidence of it. You can't touch love, but you most certainly can feel it. And the most wonderful thing about love (the thing that I am so thankful for) is that the more of the love you pass on to others the more love you find that you have.

"A bell’s not a bell ’til you ring it A song’s not a song ’til you sing it Love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay Love isn’t love ’til you give it away!" – Oscar Hammerstein II

(I thought that for the last few days of November this year, I'd do an Advent Preview. This is not to replace, but to augment, my annual Advent posting.)

Hope - that not yet but going to be - goes beyond the wishful thinking that usually enters the mind when we use the word "hope". For instance, consider the following statements:

"I hope you have a good day today."
"I hope the weather is nice this weekend."
"I hope I get a nice gift for Christmas."

This kind of hope is not only selfish in nature, it hides our eyes from real hope. Real hope is based in an unknown reality. And as such provides more than a positive desire. Real hope gives way to selfless thinking and help for others. I am thankful for real Hope that is found in Christ Jesus.

One of the reasons that I am always thankful, and especially thankful during the month of November, and even more especially thankful on the twenty-fifth day of November is because this is the day (twelve years ago today) that my Beloved Blushing Bride stood before our fathers (yes both of them), a host of friends and family, and God Almighty Himself, and chose to become my Blushing Bride.

I am blessed by God through her. I am honored by her. And I just can't be thankful enough for all that happened over a few weeks at our missionary orientation and training so that I could be so blessed.

I am thankful for my Bride.

Before you get all excited. I'm not thankful for biscuits today (although I do like biscuits--with or without gravy, with butter, and with jelly, or just plain right out of the oven). Today, I am thankful for parents of parents--or grandparents!

I have the memory of two sets of my own. When we went to Grandmother's house (my mom's mother) we slept on the floor, woke up early to hear Grandmother making breakfast (including biscuits!), we explored the barns and sheds, played in the pasture, and had general fun. Somewhere there's a picture of several of us posing around the little tin wagon that we built and then painted with red tempera paint (every time we played with it afterward the paint came off on our hands and clothes).

I recall the story of my farmer Granddaddy as he was getting older. My cousin who was helping on the farm at the time heard something out on the porch in the middle of the night. He looked out on the porch to find Granddaddy in his sleep attire and a rifle in his hands. "What is it, Granddad?" he asked.

"There's a blame deer in the corn," came the reply. At this point Granddad raised the .22 and shot out into the dark. Next morning my cousin and our uncle went out in the field in the direction of the shot and found blood drops! Apparently, there was a "blame deer" in the corn.

MawMaw and PawPaw loved having the family to their place for holidays. When we went to San Antonio for a visit we had holly berry wars, and played with my Dad's cousin's boys (especially "Andy across the street" who was our age and bore the same name as my youngest brother). PawPaw told really bad jokes--always the same jokes and always just as corny. Q: Why did they bury the old Indian in the side of the hill? Reply: I don't know, why did they bury the old Indian in the side of the hill? A: Because he was dead!

I'm also thankful for my children's grands. We live so far away from both sets of parents' parents that we only get to see them once a year (if that). We relish phone calls, letters and packages. And we are thankful that our children love our parents as much as they love us.

And finally, since we do live so far from our own parents, I am extremely thankful for the friends who have generously stepped in to fill that grandparent gap for our children. Thanks to all of you who love on our children as if they are your own grandchildren.

I'm thankful, I suppose, for the little invention we call a camera. Because when the camera goes 'click' - instant memory! Certainly the real thing (memory, that is) is more vivid and vibrant than the moment caught on film, but the impact of the freeze-frame lets the reality come rushing back, better than the original.

From early days, we remember the good times, the bad times, the smiles, the jokes, the blessings, and the struggles that build the character that makes us who we are.

I remember first day of first grade. Arriving at school with my "twin" Sherry Long (we discovered shortly after moving to Cason, Texas that we shared a birthday): anticipation that something new and exciting was going to happen. Happy that I didn't have to face it by myself and quickly making a host of other friends to add to the one that I arrived to school with.

I remember my first crash. A real crash. Coaster brakes on bicycles on steep inclines should be applied early rather than late. Another thing for which I'm thankful is that the pick-up I ran into was mostly through the intersection and not just starting. Otherwise I'd probably be not here being thankful for memories.

I remember friends from the past. The laughs, the tears, the arguments. I remember the retreats to Mt. Lebanon with campfire devotions in the late October when it was getting cool. One year Randy even asked me to bring the devotional thought at the fire. Don't remember if it was a good devotion--probably a little lean because I spent the walk up the hill hiding behind the evergreens so that I could jump out and frighten the girls and younger youth (not much time to think about devotions on that walk).

I remember college days - at both HPU and OBU, separate but fond memories both.

See, the memories just keep flooding in. And if you've got a picture of photo album, the mountain will keep growing. Sometimes the tears (happy tears) will start flowing; at others the laughter just bursts forth and someone in the room with you will say, "What's so funny?" At which time you try to re-live and describe the memory, never doing it the justice that it deserves. And certainly without the Technicolor, VistaVision that replays in your mind. But the memory is still there and it's good. So, remember. And be thankful.

Oh no! You say--here comes another eating post. Okay, guilty. But today, Thanksgiving Day, has become for Americans a day of excess and gluttony. We say we are thankful and then we eat ourselves into oblivion. We eat big and then we snack the rest of the day.

In the midst of our eating we become drowsy and begin to nod in front of the big football game. (To nod but not to snore.) Who is the culprit for this uninvited sleepiness? We have come to place all the guilt at the feet of the Thanksgiving Turkey and his modicum of tryptophan. Truth be told, no more of this ingredient (which our bodies need in small amounts) that is in this holiday delicacy, we would have to eat more than one whole turkey (by ourselves) in one sitting in order for it to cause the sleepiness that overcomes us. I imagine that the culprit lies in the decision not to stop with just three helpings of everything plus a sampling of all five kinds of desert.

Even so, I like me some Turkey on Thanksgiving Day. And I'll eat me some Turkey on Thanksgiving Day. And I'll be thankful for Turkey (Tryptophan and all) on Thanksgiving Day. And in the mean time I'll force myself to moderate so that I can spend less time eating and more time being Thankful on Thanksgiving Day.

Something about sunshine just brightens my day. I don't know, maybe its the sunshine. I have a cousin who always greets me (and I'm assuming everyone else, but it's nice to think that it's just me) with: "Hello, Sunshine!" I like that. It means that her day has been brightened when people come into her sight.

The sunshine that we know helps the plants to find nourishment and it also lights up the world so we can see those healthy plants. It provides for us certain vitamins to keep us healthy, too. It warms us and teaches us about the One  true Light who brightens life and gives Sonshine to those who believe.

I used to parody: "Sunshine on my shoulder makes me sunburned/Sunshine in my eyes can make me blind . . ." But in all truth, today I am truly thankful for this:

This time of year you begin to see the generous spirit of people begin to shine through. You don't mind the annoying 'cling-clanging' of the Santa's helper outside the retail outlet. As a matter of fact you reward his/her generous donation of time in behalf of the Salvation Army to drop a few drips of generosity into the red bucket yourself.

Some people volunteer to help gather together goodies in shoe boxes and food baskets for a host of charities. People donate time in a soup kitchen and extra money that isn't really extra to the charity of their choice. In the midst of commercialism and greed you can witness the glimpses of generosity all around you.

Be generous with your time, talents, and finances this Thanksgiving season. You will be glad you did, and so will those who benefit from your generosity.

I am thankful for this kind of generosity. But I am most thankful for the generosity bestowed upon me when the Christ, the Son of the Living God, was sent to Earth to make provision from me. It is a double gift of generosity because God gave his only Son (generosity), and Jesus gave himself (generosity) so that I might experience life to the fullest.

What generosity! I am blessed and I am thankful.

You've seen how much I am thankful for children. Today I want to express my thanks for the three children who are closest to me, let's call them Puddn' N Pie, Bubba, and Little Bit.

Over the last decade or so, these children have invaded my life. They demand my attention. They fill my thoughts. And they bless my heart with blessings beyond measure.

I love the Psalmist's assessment: Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the children of one's youth.

I heard it again this week, a statement that was new to me about five years ago: "The Bible starts in a garden,  and ends in a city." The implication is that cities are more important than rural settings in the eyes of God. The difficulty that I have with such a statement is that, as I read Scripture, God is concerned about all the people of His creation. At one point we are told that He "is not willing that any should perish." (see 2 Peter 3:9) Elsewhere we read the parable about a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep to find 1 that is lost out in the wilderness. (Read it in Luke 15) So, I am convinced that God, as He loves the masses gathered in the cities around our globe, loves (just as much) the farmers and rural citizens who have chosen to stay in the countryside.

What these two (city mouse and country mouse, for those who remember that story) have in common is community. Community - people making a go of life together in a similar situation or thrust together because of geographical location. I think that community is a good thing. It reminds us that we need other people. Mankind is the pinnacle of the social being. We need contact with other human beings.

Today I want to let it be known that I am thankful for my current community. It includes churches, schools, citizens (both young and old). We find people of all races, genders, and ages scattered around. Today in particular community is important because we will be gathering for thanksgiving purposes as we worship our maker. Many will be gathering in their own local church setting for worship this morning, and then this evening we will note the patchwork that is Mulberry Grove as we gather together in our Community Thanksgiving Service.

I love community--either big or small. And I am thankful for the friendliness that is a constant part of my local community.

Not everyone can boast of the best brothers and sister in the world. But of course everyone is not me. One of the greatest blessings in my life is the joy of growing  up with two brothers and a sister who are all special in their own way. I will never have the ability to understand the life of an only child (which may be a blessing for them) because I've never been one. I'm the third of four.

I have a big brother who has always been practical and protective of his younger siblings.
I have a sister who (aside from the time she wanted to give me away because there was a new baby in the house and she was "finished with Benjie") has always understood and loved me.
I have a younger brother who has always been good to listen and (when we were young) play the games I suggested.

In their own right, each of them has grown to be a person of deeper faith; marrying God-loving Christ followers which allows for their own homes to be filled with the same kind of influence in which we were all reared. What a great blessing to have such siblings. I am thankful.

Just because my daddy was a preacher doesn't necessarily mean that he is a godly man. But because his greatest concern is to share the love of Jesus Christ with those around him does. I would have to say, though that the most godly (godliest?) person I know is not my preacher father, but his wife--my mother.

"If you're ever in a jam, here I am . . ." the line from the song "Friendship" is the sentiment that most people are looking for in a friend. Sadly, too often we want someone else to be that friend for us but we don't fully grasp the need to be that same kind of friend for them. And with the runaway popularity of social media like Facebook, the idea of friendship has reached an all-time high in terms of glossy surface.

I am not advocating changing the language used in social media. After all, it's nice to have a growing number of friends. And of course friends come in all shapes and sizes. There are those friends who are your friends because you have experience in common--grade school, high school, college or military; there are friends who come from a work setting; there are friends who are friends because of proximity--your next-door-neighbor; there are friends who are friends because of Providence.

Friends are people with whom we are polite, and more than polite. Friends are those with whom we share pieces of our life. The closeness of the friendship determines the size of the pieces of our lives.

The best thing about a good friend is that they will remain our friend when we are not so friendly, they stick by us through thick and thin, and over time zones of distance. The old saying is, "to have a friend, be a friend."

For you, my friend (since you read the whole post), I am thankful.

Having taught literature, reading, grammar, and spelling (among the language arts), it is not unusual to see me express my thankfulness for the proper ability to communicate. As a communicator by profession, it is my stock and trade. Since I fancy myself a struggling writer, language is important to me.

Language should be important to us all. It is the way that we make known to others our needs, emotions, and desires. We can express the English language through verbal and written forms. Language is so important that no matter where you go in this world, if you encounter people they will be communicating--using language.

So, whether you speak a romantic, a tonal, or a sign language, use your language today to express thankfulness that you can communicate.

I am not a techno-geek. I admit that I am fascinated by all the new gadgets that hit the scene almost daily. But I don't have to have it all. Even so, I am thankful for the advances in technology that we can enjoy today. The ability to talk via the Internet with virtually anyone in the world instantly is amazing.

I like to have use of my computer and my cell phone. I'm glad that both of these advances are getting small enough to keep on my person at all times. Yes, there are some items that I haven't gotten yet that I'm looking forward to acquiring (usually 6 months to 2 years after the rest of the country has already mastered their use) such as a smart phone and a tablet computer. But until that day, I'll be thankful for the technology I do have - e-books, text-messaging, email, and the list goes on.

Too many times we neglect to be thankful for our health. But I have become strikingly aware of the blessing that is health of late. This weekend, as the family attended a neighbor boy's birthday party and I got sucked into a game of wiffle ball, a fall bruised a rib, and I was reminded that I'm not as young as I used to be. (I'm still feeling that reminder to take care of my health.)

In my role as pastor, I have had several opportunities to pray with church members who were facing surgeries, recoveries, and just illnesses--often related to the aging process, but still related to health. I am thankful for the professionals who have the knowledge to either keep me healthy or to be the hands of God in restoring my health.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Think about it as you do. And be thankful for your health. I know I am.

Of course, here's another moment of thankfulness of food, but since today is the day of our church's annual Thanksgiving Fellowship meal (we try to have it early enough to avoid the crush of the holiday itself), I thought I'd be thankful for the potluck dinner.

Box Lunch, Carry-in, Covered Dish, or Pot Luck (add your own version if it didn't make my list), whatever you call it, this tradition is one that has many things for which to be thankful. Most obviously is the best dish that everyone brings from home. The food is delicious. Everyone can find something they like even if they don't like everything they find. Dishes vary from the simple to the gourmet and everyone brings a bit.

So, besides the good food is the offering that is brought on behalf of every family. And cooperation is the name of the game. I am thankful for the food, the cooperation, the fellowship, and the fun that is had by everyone. So this evening and today and always, I am thankful for potluck dinners.

I am so thankful that I have clothes to wear. I'm glad that you do to. Clothes do a number of things. They help us to be modest in a world where modesty is a necessary thing. They offer an outlet for creativity - don't  cackle so loudly at the lady wearing the "Jetsons" inspired dress or hat. They provide warmth in the winter's chill and protection from the summer's sunny rays.

So as you get dressed for the day this morning, whether wearing a suit, a dress, or a T-shirt and jeans, be thankful for your clothes. I know I am.

[Note: I probably should have written this post before any election results were in, but I didn't. So all of those readers who want to read into what is said, will do so. But it is our month for giving thanks and we ought to be thankful for all things. (Note over)]

At the risk of losing ground with my disgruntled friends, I am thankful for my president. I believe that regardless of the placement of my tik on the ballot on Tuesday, the person elected as president is the president of my country. I'm thankful, in the first place, that someone is willing to accept the responsibility that rests on the shoulders of the president. I know that's not a job I would relish. I am sure that he will do what he sees as the best for the country when voicing decisions and making influential statements during the next days. I am positive that there will be multitudes who will support him and a comparable number of people who disagree with those very same issues. Even so, I am thankful that we have a president, that we were able to participate in the selection of him, and that we will do it again four years from now.

Because I am thankful, I will pray for Barack Obama. Not that he will do only that with which I agree, but that he will be the leader that God has designated him to be. Of this last, I know God will honor my prayer, and so, once again: I am thankful.

"I like little babies. They're like real people only smaller."

Truth be told, I am thankful for all little children.They smile, trust, pout, laugh. They are an ocean of emotions that touches the heart of old people like me.

I love the children who want to give "Pastor Benjie" a hug wherever they see him. I love it when they feign shyness and hide behind a parent's leg.

I am truly thankful for the three blessings I have at home, and for the one who is waiting on the other side of the globe.

I am thankful for children.

First of all, I am thankful to our forefathers for setting up a government in which the people can decide by popular vote the direction of the country. And since Thanksgiving is about voicing our gratitude to God, I will go on record as saying that I am thankful that God planted me in this place (where I can exercise that right to vote).

I have said it before, so I will say it again: I will not foist my opinion upon you. I have one, and I will vote accordingly. What I will do is encourage you to do the same. After all, you have an opinion. And your opinion is important. And this important opinion will compel you to decide who you believe is best for a particular elected office or whether one should support a certain referendum on the ballot or not.

Therefore, I will vote today. And I encourage you, if you have not taken advantage of new "early" voting options, get to the polls before they close tonight.

I am thankful for my right to vote.

I have finally been forced to admit it, I'm bookish. I know it isn't cool, and I tried for so many years to cover it up and look cool, but I am . . . bookish that is. I like books. I like to go to used bookstores and paperback re-sellers just to look at the worn spines and smell the aroma of books.

I like to obtain and read first editions. I really enjoy the feel of a nice hardcover (with the dust cover intact and in place) as I sit down to enjoy the pages.

I revel in a trip to the library to see if anything catches my eye.

And I'll go so far as to say that the ebook revolution has not found me wanting. I can get a book for a fraction of the paper version's cover price and not have to extend my already groaning bookshelf space. I like books because of the efficient way of arranging and presenting material. So, for books I am thankful.

One of the best gifts that Christ has given us outside of life itself, is the atmosphere of relationship. Since salvation is a relationship with the Lord, then it is reasonable that He has not left us without relationship with our fellow man. He gave us the culture and society of the church.

Church is not the building it is the people. But these people are not just joiners who have become part of another popular club. No, they are people who have entered into relationship with Jesus Christ through His saving Grace, and by so doing they have become family - the closest of relationships.

Although we do not always appear on the outside to be aware of this loving familial relationship, Christ helps us to overcome our petty differences because of His love that dwells within us. It is a wonder when the church family represented by the local congregation lets this shine.

Let me be specific - I have the privilege to be the pastor of just such a congregation. A group of believers in Christ who have learned how to express love. I pray for them that they continue to grow in this gift. I love them that they are willing to pour out floods of love and blessing upon their pastor and his family. And I am thankful for my church.

Give it Back!

I will admit it. I love me some music. I like all kinds. I don't really care for rap or hip-hop, but I must admit that every once in awhile I even listen to that. If you checked my Pandora listings and noted that I usually hit the "shuffle" option, you'd notice everything from swing to rock, from country to Christian. It's all there. I even have a "Sousa" choice that plays round the clock marches on cue.

My Blushing Bride would tell you that I've got a song for everything. I really don't mind it when a song gets stuck in my head--I just share it with everyone so that they can enjoy it all day right along with me. Once my sister even accused me of singing "all the parts." Shall I confess again? Guilty. Sometimes the other parts are better than the one I was assigned to sing.

I guess the reason I have to say all of this is "I got the music in me."

So, I have to say, I'm thankful for music.

This may seem to be one of those givens, but lately in my role as a pastor I've been made increasingly aware of the blessing of health. These earthen temples that we walk around in wear out. And they are pretty fragile, so it's important to take care of them.

Even so, when we eat well, take at least a modicum of exercise, sleep some every day, and follow the good doctor's advice, we can still encounter sluggish moments. And these might even lead to more dire circumstances.

So, today, I'm thankful for my health. I'm thankful for nutrition and the advice of sound nutritionists. I'm thankful for the medicos who are charged with my health's welfare. I'm even thankful for the healthcare system (in whatever form it's taking these days) that keeps me running smoothly.

Like the old wag who looks at the obituaries each morning to see if he should get dressed and go to work (if his name's in the obits why bother), I'm just plain thankful for another day to get out of bed and make it to the kitchen for breakfast.

I am so thankful for my health.

So, a year has past since my dear friend, Elizabeth, introduced me to the idea of "Thanksvember" (taking the whole month to express thanks). I think it's such a grand idea that I'll attempt to be thankful daily again this year. Join me if you like.

This year, I thought I'd start on the spiritual side and be thankful for the most important part of my life on the very first day. That's right, I'm thankful for Jesus. I remain daily thankful because God gave us His Son. I'm thankful that that Son lived a sinless life and then proceeded to pay the death penalty for my sin. That's right, the death penalty. Not just any death penalty, though. Ultimate death. This was much worse than the physical passage that we know here on earth, but the complete separation from the Life that is found in the presence of God Almighty. (Henry Blackaby refers to this as "deeper death", see Experiencing the Cross chapter 5, especially page 46.)

The great news about this, though, is that in living a sinless life and tasting death for my sake, Jesus conquered sin and death itself. I know this because He rose from the dead and then defeated the Grave! I could say that because He did this for me (actually for anyone and everyone who would believe) and that because I have believed it receiving the everlasting life promised in the New Testament is the reason that I or anyone else might even have the hope of being thankful at all.

So, I am thankful for Jesus. And I can be even more thankful for Him every time I hear that someone new has believed and received, and therefore been made thankful.