Scripture of the Day: Psalm 100:4-5
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
This Thanksgiving was one on which I was having some issues with the "thankful" spirit that is supposed to go with that day! I had been looking for a moment of thankfulness and I found it, quite unexpectedly, (and repeatedly) over the weekend.
My Great Grandma Kessler passed away when I was young (maybe 10 or 11). I have some very fond memories of her, and they all piled on this weekend! On Friday, I made her recipe of orange buttermilk cookies. I have wanted to make those cookies for years, but I just recently bought some orange extract to be used for that purpose. I think I had those cookies only one time, but boy, do I remember them! I have had to wait so long, because I do not believe in zesting fruit peels - extract all the way! The reason that I have her recipe is because a relative along the way took the time to TYPE all of her favorites up and print books for all of the family. Those recipes show love with every direction on every page.
Thankful moment (memory) number 2 came on Saturday night as we were decorating our Christmas tree. My Great Grandma had Alzheimer's disease. She lived in a nursing home near our house and one Christmas, my parents drove her to my Grandma's house. At that point, she did not remember much, but when "Silent Night" came on the radio she sang every word. To this day, that is one of my favorite Christmas songs and it makes me cry at least once a season. This past Saturday, I heard the song and was so grateful for that memory of my Great Grandma.
In those memories of my Great Grandma I see God's faithfulness continuing through the generations. I know that he loved my Great Grandma, just as I know that he loves me. When I remember her cooking, her singing, or her love of books, I like to think it is God's way of showing me that she isn't really gone. Rather, she is home with him! Probably still cooking and singing away - with all of her memories intact :).
When people leave this earth, they don't leave your love - and they don't leave the Lord's either. His love goes on forever and He will continue showing His love to your children and grandchildren and even your great-grand children. One way of seeing this faithfulness and of being thankful of God's courts both in this life and the next is to work on hard making those memories! Ask your relatives for favorite recipes, or favorite memories, favorite songs, books, etc. I think each memory like that makes God smile that he has something to remind you of when you may need a light in a dark time. When you do think of that memory that makes you smile through your tears, please thank God for storing those good times up for the generations. And then pass that love and thankfulness on - every day and not just on Thanksgiving!
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
This Thanksgiving was one on which I was having some issues with the "thankful" spirit that is supposed to go with that day! I had been looking for a moment of thankfulness and I found it, quite unexpectedly, (and repeatedly) over the weekend.
My Great Grandma Kessler passed away when I was young (maybe 10 or 11). I have some very fond memories of her, and they all piled on this weekend! On Friday, I made her recipe of orange buttermilk cookies. I have wanted to make those cookies for years, but I just recently bought some orange extract to be used for that purpose. I think I had those cookies only one time, but boy, do I remember them! I have had to wait so long, because I do not believe in zesting fruit peels - extract all the way! The reason that I have her recipe is because a relative along the way took the time to TYPE all of her favorites up and print books for all of the family. Those recipes show love with every direction on every page.
Thankful moment (memory) number 2 came on Saturday night as we were decorating our Christmas tree. My Great Grandma had Alzheimer's disease. She lived in a nursing home near our house and one Christmas, my parents drove her to my Grandma's house. At that point, she did not remember much, but when "Silent Night" came on the radio she sang every word. To this day, that is one of my favorite Christmas songs and it makes me cry at least once a season. This past Saturday, I heard the song and was so grateful for that memory of my Great Grandma.
In those memories of my Great Grandma I see God's faithfulness continuing through the generations. I know that he loved my Great Grandma, just as I know that he loves me. When I remember her cooking, her singing, or her love of books, I like to think it is God's way of showing me that she isn't really gone. Rather, she is home with him! Probably still cooking and singing away - with all of her memories intact :).
When people leave this earth, they don't leave your love - and they don't leave the Lord's either. His love goes on forever and He will continue showing His love to your children and grandchildren and even your great-grand children. One way of seeing this faithfulness and of being thankful of God's courts both in this life and the next is to work on hard making those memories! Ask your relatives for favorite recipes, or favorite memories, favorite songs, books, etc. I think each memory like that makes God smile that he has something to remind you of when you may need a light in a dark time. When you do think of that memory that makes you smile through your tears, please thank God for storing those good times up for the generations. And then pass that love and thankfulness on - every day and not just on Thanksgiving!
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