Hate is a strong word.  Some things just irritate me.  I try not to blur the line between the two.  However, I’ve decided that I hate chain letters.  Yes, hate is the right word.  I don’t just mildly dislike them.  I hate them!!!!

It’s been over forty years since I received my first chain letter in the mail and they have kept coming in one form or another ever since.    

Chain letters promise everything from riches to good luck to “whatever.”  Just follow the directions – send a dollar, send a postcard, send a recipe, send good wishes, send “whatever” to the first person on the list, copy the letter and send it to 10 of your friends.  Then in short time $50,000 or 50,000 postcards or 50,000 recipes or 50,000 “whatevers” will be yours. 

It doesn’t matter that the claims being made are mathematically impossible.  Who wouldn’t like to be a millionaire overnight?  We like to believe these things will happen, so we pass it on.  Or we fear the dreaded bad luck we are told we will experience if we break the chain and don’t pass it on.   

Forty years ago chain letters took a real commitment of time and money.  You had to literally write out ten copies of the letter, place them in envelopes, address and stamp, then mail them out.   Being basically a lazy person, I could never bring myself to do all that.  So I would either toss them and wait for my bad luck, or write back to the sender saying, “I would rather make one enemy than ten, so I’m returning your chain letter.”  This did not set too well with my sister-in-law, but she got over it. 

No one gets chain letters via snail mail anymore but they abound in email inboxes.  “Pass it on” has become a red flag that magnetically pulls my finger to the delete button.   

Some chain letters want you to help Disney, Applebees, or Nike test an email tracking program.  If you forward the message on to others you could receive $1000, a trip to Disney World, a dinner for two, or a new pair of shoes for your trouble.  Believe it or not, companies just don’t use chain letters to give away money or products.

I especially like the emails that say, “I did not make this up!”  I’m so thankful.  Yet, some bozo with a great deal of time on his hands did. 

Altruistic chain letters are sent for the benefit of others.  You are not sending money so you won’t receive anything, but you need to pass the message on to help the Make-a-Wish Foundation fulfill the dream of a dying child.  Never mind that this foundation has stated repeatedly it doesn’t operate this way.   

Or perhaps some child has a school project where you add your first name to a list to see how many people have the same name.  The sender knows you will “pass it on” because you are so nice. 

Well guess what?  I’m not all that nice and most of my real friends know it!

A new form of chain letter wants you to pass around prayers, I love you notes, poems, and tidbits about Jesus.  I received a lovely message from someone who said he was passing it on to me because I was one of the five most dynamic women he’d ever known.  I noticed he copied 50 people – men and women – which made me feel real special. 

I especially hate chain letters accompanied by guilt trips like the following which I actually received:

•  “If you believe in God and in Jesus Christ His Son …send this to all on your buddy list … if not just ignore it.  If you ignore it, just remember that Jesus said, ‘If you deny me before man, I will deny you before my Father in Heaven.’…”
• “Just in case I haven’t told you lately… I LOVE You!!!  Please pass some of this love on to others….suppose one morning you were called to God; do all your friends know you love them?”
• “If you are too busy to witness, to pass on this email about Jesus, then God’s too busy to write your name in the Book of Life…”

Well, folks, I agree that God is busy.  He’s far too busy doing other stuff than to blot my name out of the Book of Life because I didn’t pass along an email message.  If you are so inclined, feel free to send that to 100 of your very closest friends.  If you get it back then you will know they truly are your friends.  If not, count your blessings!   

Oxymora fascinate and confuse me.  (In case you didn’t know, “oxymora” is the plural for oxymoron.  A little fact I learned when my computer complained when I typed oxymorons.  You learn something new every day, but I digress.)  As I was saying, oxymora fascinate and confuse me.  An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines contradictory terms.  Here are a few we use all the time…

• Jumbo shrimp
• Sweet sorrow
• Pretty ugly
• Deliberately thoughtless
• Working vacation
• Authentic reproduction
• Local long distance
• Fresh frozen
• Current history
• Freezer burn
• Absolutely unsure
• Definite maybe
• A new classic
• Awfully good
• Easy labor
• Good lawyer
• Tequila flavored rum

Okay, maybe there are some good lawyers, but they told me my labor was easy when I gave child birth and believe me, they were mistaken.  Some of us might not use tequila flavored rum all the time, but some of us do.   Oxymora just all seem so illogical. 

Some things in the Bible seem illogical too.  Here are a few…

• Cast your bread on the water and it will come back to you. (Ecclesiastes 11:1)
• The first will be last and the last will be first.  (Matthew 20:16)
• When I am weak, I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)
• There can be joy in trials. (James 1:2)
• Whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 14:11)
• To get you must give. (Luke 6:38)
• You must be born again.  (John 3:1-7)
• We win we lose. (Philippians 3:7-11)
• He who finds his life will lose it. (Matthew 10:39)
• To save your life, you must lose it. (Matthew 16:24, 25)

Now some may think these things are not possible, yet they are.  That shouldn’t be so hard to understand in a world where people know what you’re saying when use expressions like the living dead, fuzzy logic, liquid gas, seriously funny, and good grief!

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. was an American author, poet, doctor, and teacher of the 1800s.  Ever since I read his clever poem the Deacon’s Masterpiece about a one-hoss shay in high school I have been drawn to his work.  So many quotes are attributed to him and here is one of my favorites…   

 “Alas for those that never sing, but die with all their music in them!”

I’ve always wondered what he meant when he wrote that.  Is it that we allow the shattered hopes, disillusionments, unfulfilled expectations, hurts, rejections, and broken promises of life to beat us down so much that the “music” that lies within us will never be played?  Or is it that the “music” lays within us because we are too timid to sing?   

I’ve always thought it was referring to fear.  Maybe we are just afraid to step out and do something.  We are afraid of what others will think.  We are afraid we will make a mistake.  We are afraid we will be hurt.  In many ways we can be our own worst enemy.  We talk ourselves out of happiness, success, relationships, and usually what we fear or anticipate is far worse than what actually happens.

Here’s an example.  A few years ago I had a tooth pulled.  It was what they call a “dry socket” which has a very painful healing process.  Now I’m deathly afraid of dentists.  It took every bit of courage I had to just go get the tooth pulled.  So when the dentist said, “If this gives you any pain, come back to me and I’ll take care of it for you,” I thought, “Yeah, right!”  I conjured up visions of Steve Martin as the sadistic dentist in Little Shop of Horrors. 

The first couple of days I had excruciating pain.  I called and got a prescription for some high-powered painkillers but even they didn’t do the trick.  About the fourth day I became “painfully” aware that I would have to go back to “Steve” for some relief. 

I tentatively came in and told him my problem.  He put me in “the chair,” looked me over, smiled wryly, and said, “I’ll fix you right up.” Then he took a piece of gauze, dipped it in a solution, tucked it in the cavern where my tooth once was, and presto, change-o, NO PAIN.  So for four days I had suffered unnecessarily because of what I feared would be done to me.  

I wonder if people fear pursuing a relationship with Jesus Christ for the same reasons.  They fear they are unworthy.  Well, yes – we are all unworthy but that shouldn’t hold us back.  After all, that’s why we need Jesus in our lives.  People fear Christ will force them to make changes in their lives – changes they don’t want to make.  Actually, Christ’s way isn’t generally one of forcing.  If we come closer to Him, we may choose to make changes, but those are our choices.  He pretty much loves us just the way we are.  (John 3:16, 17)  He loves us with all our problems, unworthiness, and imperfections.    

Whatever our heart’s desire is, we shouldn’t let fear hold us back.  Fear robs us of what could be.  We all have some kind of music in us.  Music is a metaphor for our hopes and dreams.  But unless we overcome our fears and actually “sing” or do something about it, that music dies within us.  How sad!  It would be better to “sing” slightly off key than to let the music die in us.               

Celebrating the New Year is an ancient custom dating back 4000 years to the Babylonians.  It had something to do with a New Moon and Vernal Equinox and such, but exactly why they selected this time of year to celebrate is not really known.  It seems to have no real agricultural significance and that’s what most people planned their lives around in those days.  Maybe it was a slow time of year and they just wanted to party!  And party they did for eleven days. 

Various cultures continued these customs but since the calendars were always being tampered with it wasn’t until Julius Caesar established the Julian calendar in 46 B.C. that January 1 became the New Year.  Of course in order to get the whole thing synchronized, the previous year had to last 445 days, but that’s a different story.  

Ushering in the New Year is celebrated in various ways by different cultures.  Some Moslems wear new clothes.  Some Asians release birds and turtles.  Some Japanese eat rice cakes. Some Hindus leave shrines next to their beds.  Then some countries such as Thailand, Nigeria, Uganda, and Cambodia temporarily depose their kings and set up temporary kings.  In Scotland the old year is banished by making a dummy and parading it through town.  Then it is buried, drowned or burned.  The dummy is called (and I take great offense at this) the Auld Wife. 

When America and Great Britain adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, January 1^st became our New Year’s Day, too.  Just like in ancient times some of us usher in the New Year by going to parties.  Although they don’t usually last eleven days like in the good old days.     

Some of us older people like to usher in the New Year by watching television.  We watch the Tournament of Roses parade, we watch football, and we watch a huge lighted ball fall to the ground in New York’s Times Square as we count down “ten, nine, eight, seven, etc…” to the New Year.

However you choose to celebrate all I can say is, “May your days be merry and bright.”  Whoops!  That’s a Christmas song.  This poem from Martin Luther might be more appropriate…

Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth.

God is in the highest heaven.  His Son is His gift to us.  The angels sing His glory and so should we!  We are alive!  We have so many reasons to celebrate.  So I wish all of you a glad New Year!  In the words of Martin Luther, “A glad new year to ALL!”    

Each year it gets harder to buy Christmas gifts for loved ones who seem to have everything. What do you get the person who has everything?

 Well, what gift would you give Jesus?  After all, it is His birthday we are celebrating.    One would think that He and His father have everything – literally.  However, there are gifts from us they would love to receive.  So why not consider giving the following?  

Believe:  Many try to foolishly prove God exists. (Psalm 14:1)  They challenge Him with little tests and if God performs to their satisfaction they will deign to believe in Him.  Those who take this approach rarely end up believing in God for God does not jump through our hoops.  The Bible does not try to convince us God exists; it proclaims His existence and the existence of His son Jesus Christ.  We either believe it or we don’t.  Belief means to accept something as true.  Every promise God makes is contingent on us believing in Him.  Better to come to God asking for Him to help our unbelief than asking Him to perform mini-miracles to prove His existence. (Mark 9:24)  Sure it takes a certain amount of faith, but we can ask God for that as well because faith isn’t something we conjure up. (Hebrews 11:1)  It comes from God.  (Hebrews 12:2) When we believe and accept God as true, we can believe what He says.    

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”  (Hebrews 11:6) 

Trust:  As small children we might have been encouraged to jump into our father’s arms, but we were frightened.  When we finally jumped we squealed with delight when our father caught us.  Dad was happy because his children trusted him.  Trust means to place confidence in or depend on.  Unfortunately as we grow up we find we live in an untrustworthy world.  Even those we thought we could trust sometimes betray us in some way – the bank system, the government, the judicial system, the guy in charge of our pension fund, our best friend.  People will let you down so it is only natural we would hesitate to trust God.  Yet, He is the only one we can truly trust.  We can trust God to keep His word and promises.  We can trust God to take care of us and our circumstances.  We can trust God to know what is best for us and perform it on our behalf. (Romans 8:28)  We don’t have to worry, fear, doubt, or be afraid. (Isaiah 12:2)  We want our children to trust us; God wants us (his children) to trust Him.   

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”   (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Worship:  Why should we worship God?  Well, God is good and kind.  God extends His love and grace to us.  God sent His only begotten son to die for us.  God is our deliver, sustainer, and creator.  To show God we appreciate all of this we worship Him through praise, music, prayer, thanksgiving, offerings, and how we live our lives.  It’s not like God is some egomaniac who just wants to be praised and adored all the time.  That’s not the point.  God, just like us, wants to feel loved and appreciated.  But more than that – worship acknowledges God’s greatness, His kingship in our lives, and our willingness to have Him rule over us.  God is not seeking the worship; He is seeking the worshippers.  God wants to have a relationship with us.  Worship is our gift to God.          

“But the hour is coming and now is when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” (John 4:23) 

Give:  God loves it when we give and He especially loves it when we give to those who have less than we do.  When we visit the sick, serve the poor, help the widowed, befriend the fatherless, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, encourage the despondent, and honor the elderly we are giving gifts to God because it as if we are doing it for Christ.  We should always be looking for someone less fortunate than ourselves and make their world a little brighter.        

^“Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  And the King shall answer and say unto them, ‘Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’” (Matthew 25:39, 40)

When the Christmas presents have been opened and the wrapping paper discarded we will look back on Christmas and reflect.  Did we get what we wanted?  Did we have a good time?  Did we forget that it was Christ’s birthday party? 

Remember, it’s never too late to get Him that perfect gift.

Remember the old Christmas song I’m Gettin’ Nuttin’ for Christmas?  It was pretty funny.  Some of us may think we’re gettin’ nuttin’ for Christmas as well.  Maybe we don’t have any friends.  Maybe we decided not to do a gift exchange this year.  Or maybe we think we’re getting’ nuttin’ because like the lyrics of the song says…we ain’t been nuttin’ but bad.  However, we have access to many gifts because God is the greatest gift giver of all.

God’s gifts aren’t limited to Christmastime.  We have the gift of life and most of us have food, clothing, and shelter which are blessings many don’t have.  However, many precious gifts we have are linked to Jesus and would not be available had He not come to earth.  So in the spirit of Christmas I’ll focus on a few of those. 

Forgiveness:  Christ was born as a baby, lived among us, and when he grew up he gave his life as a sacrifice so our sins would be forgiven. (John 10:17, 18)  Through Christ our sins are forgiven and no longer remembered. (Hebrews 8:12)  The slate has been wiped clean.  No need to remain guilt ridden, for God does not condemn us.  There remains no condemnation for those in Christ. (Romans 8:1, 2)  Christ paid the penalty for us, so we wouldn’t have to.  He died for everyone. (Hebrews 2:9)  This is a gift because we did nothing to earn or even deserve it.  Christ died for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8)

“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)

Grace:  Grace means getting something good that we don’t deserve.  God gives us his unmerited favor.  Unmerited means we did nothing to earn God’s favor or grace, but we have it all the same.  And it is through this grace that we are justified. (Titus 3:7)  That means not only do we escape the death penalty but we are declared righteous before God. (Romans 3:24)  We cannot earn righteousness.  We are saved not by our works but by grace. (Romans 11:6)   Grace is a gift from God. 

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)         

Redemption:   Now forgiveness and grace are wonderful gifts but God went one step further.  Because Jesus paid the penalty for our sins we have been redeemed.  What does that mean exactly?  Redemption was often used in ancient times in reference to buying a slave. Through the sacrificial death of Jesus we have been purchased by him, bought with the price of his death.  That means we are no longer “slaves” to sin.  It also means we are no longer our own.  We belong to God.  He is our Master.  However, God doesn’t consider us his slaves, but his children. (Galatians 4:4-5) That’s quite a gift!         

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence.”  (Ephesians 1:7)

Salvation: Salvation is one of the gifts given to all believers.  It’s the gift of eternal life. (Romans 6:23)  Salvation can only come through Jesus Christ. (Acts 4:12)  Jesus lived, died, and lived again when he was resurrected.  This resurrection was victory over what all of us fear most – death.  Christ’s resurrection was not only his victory, but ours, too.  (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)  Because of this victory Christ lives…and because Christ lives, we can live also. (Romans 6:8-11)  

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16)     

Sometimes when we receive Christmas gifts we focus on the gifts instead of the motive behind them.  God’s motive in all His Christmas gifts for us is love.  “For God so loved the world…”  That’s you and me.  Of course, it’s up to us to accept these gifts or reject them, but if we’re gettin’ nuttin’ for Christmas it’s by choice because plenty of gifts have been made available – all because Christ the Savior was born.    

Many think the custom of giving gifts to loved ones at Christmastime came from the Magi giving gifts to the Christ child long ago. I’m not sure. However, giving Christmas gifts has become part of our lives. Unfortunately, some of us get so caught up in creating a perfect Christmas environment by cooking, decorating, and buying the perfect presents for our family that we neglect those gifts that are most valuable – the ones that don’t cost money. Why not consider giving some of the following?

Affection: We shouldn’t need to have a sprig of mistletoe as an excuse to kiss to a spouse or hug our children. What good are homemade cookies shaped like Santa, bells, and sleighs if our family members feel like they are in the way while we are making them? What good is a perfect, color coordinated Christmas tree if our little ones don’t feel wanted? A wink, a smile, a hug, a kiss – these will be remembered long after the cookies are eaten and the tree comes down.

“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love in honor giving preference to one another.”  (Romans 12:10)

Laughter: All the health benefits of laughter are too numerous to mention but here are a few. Studies show laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain killer. Laughter changes brain chemistry for the better. It lowers risk of heart disease, increases blood flow, and reduces stress. Laughter is contagious so it’s the perfect gift to give to others. Clipping a funny cartoon to share is great. But even better is to find the “funny” in everyday life. So when those little holiday mishaps come – and they will come – just find the humor in a situation. Burnt figgy pudding is not the end of the world. Remember, if you can laugh at it, you can live through it.

“A merry heart does good, like medicine…” (Proverbs 17:22)

Appreciation: Learn to appreciate our differences. Focus on a person’s positive qualities, not what we would consider negatives. We are not all alike. That doesn’t necessarily make some of us better than others – just different. Some of us are organized, some are disorganized. Some are fashion conscious, some are happier in jeans. Some are morning people, some come alive a night. And nowhere are our differences more magnified than in a family environment, so let’s cut each other some slack. Let family members know they are appreciated for who they are. We could even throw in a few phrases like, “You did a good job,” “Thank you for your help” or “I love those jeans!”

“I thank God for every remembrance of you…” (Philippians 1:3)

Time: We only have a certain amount of time. When a day passes that time is gone. We never get it back. If we don’t take the time to create family memories we end up in a Cat’s in the Cradle situation. Just hanging out together as a family is not time wasted. Playing a game, attending a church Christmas program, singing Christmas carols to a CD, watching It’s a Wonderful Life or How the Grinch Stole Christmas on television, making a card for Grandma, visiting Aunt Matilda in the nursing home, or just driving around town to see the Christmas decorations can be some cost effective activities we can do as a family – all together! Ecclesiastes says there is a time for every season. Why not take some time to enjoy this season together? It is time well spent.

“There is a time for everything and for every season under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

I guess I’m really talking about the gift of love. Our houses may be twinkling with lights that can be seen in outer space. A plastic Santa with all the reindeer, even Rudolph, may be adorning our lawn. Our door may have four wreaths. We might even have a snowman mailbox that would put Frosty to shame. But everyone knows when giving presents that’s it’s not the box and wrapping on the outside that counts. If our houses are decorated on the outside but don’t have the gifts of love on the inside, we miss the mark – especially at Christmastime.

It may be early in December but shoppers are already bustling to find that perfect Christmas gift. One gets the impression the recession is over, but it’s not. Some of us are still a little cost conscious so I thought it would be nice to do a series of articles about Christmas gifts that don’t cost money. This first article is about gifts we can give to everyone.

Let’s face it, from now until Christmas, stores will be packed with people, parking spots will be at a premium, and roads will busier than usual. We are going to come in contact with a lot of people. We might think we can’t afford to give a gift to each one of them, but we would be mistaken. There are many things we can give to everyone that won’t cost money. Here are just a few…

Patience: First of all, realize it’s the holiday season. Everything is going to take more time. What good does it do to fret, complain, and send out toxic vibes to everyone around us? When you’re in that long checkout lane at Target why not just accept it and determine to keep a good attitude? A gift of patience sends out a positive aura that others will appreciate.

“In your patience possess ye your souls.” (Luke 21:19)

Benefit of the Doubt: Contrary to popular opinion people do not exist to irritate us. Yes, they can be irritating but most of them aren’t doing it on purpose, especially during this time of year. So why not give them the benefit of the doubt? Cashiers are not deliberately slow. They are probably temporary help hired for the holiday season and doing the best they can. The gift of thinking good thoughts about others benefits them and us.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

An Act of Kindness: It’s been said that there are no small acts of kindness. So what may seem small to us may be a gift of great value to those we meet. Simply holding a door open, picking up a dropped package, letting someone ahead of us in line, giving someone directions, offering a seat to an elderly person, letting a car merge into our lane, or using words like please and thanks can make someone’s day. Studies show that acts of kindness have a ripple effect. When we do something kind for people, they tend to pass it on to others.

“An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” (Proverbs 12:25)

Smile: Smiles are a universal language. Not only do smiles lift spirits, they are contagious. Statistics show that a person who is given a smile will more than likely give one to someone else. Studies show that just forcing ourselves to smile has many benefits. We look younger and more attractive. Our moods change for the better. Stress is relieved. Our blood pressure is lowered and immunity system boosted. Let’s face it; this smiling thing is a win/win for everyone!

“Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice…” (Psalm 32:11)

You know what they say – Jesus is the reason for the season. So think to yourself, “What would Jesus do?” Well, I think he’d give at least one of these gifts to everyone he’d meet!

“If only” are two little words that keep us from contentment.

In the family favorite movie The Wizard of Oz little Dorothy from Kansas longs to fly over the rainbow to escape her problems. In a way she gets her wish when a tornado propels her house into a mystical land called Oz. Of course Oz is not without problems so she longs to go home. To do this she must go see a wizard. On her journey she is joined by a scarecrow, tin man, and cowardly lion – all wishing to get something from the wizard.

The scarecrow feels he would be happy “if only” he had a brain. The tin man thinks he would be happy “if only” he had a heart. The cowardly lion would be happy “if only” he had some courage.

How many of us assume we would be happy or content “if only” we had this or that?

That’s how the Israelites felt when they left Egype. Just read the accounts in Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  Their journey to the Promised Land was not without hardships.  They felt  “if only” God would give them what they wanted they would be content and happy.

• “If only” they had food: God gave them manna and they got tired of it. They wanted meat.
• “If only” they had meat: God gave them quail to eat and they got tired of it.
• “If only” they had water to drink: God gave them water, they stilled complained.
• “If only” Moses would speak to them instead of God: Moses spoke to them and they weren’t happy.

Each time God graciously gave them what they wanted and they still weren’t happy. That’s what “if only” thinking will do for you. Not only does it foster discontentment but it skews one’s thinking.

The Israelites thought “if only” they were back in Egypt they would have great food to eat. (Numbers 11:4, 5) They had forgotten how miserable they were in Egypt. (Exodus 1) They didn’t have good food to eat. As slaves they had scraps. The Egyptians made the lives of the Israelites “bitter with hard bondages.” The king even had their first born sons killed. The Israelites just like us have a tendency to idealize the past.

“If only” thinking keeps us from enjoying the moment. We think we would be happy “if only” we had a bigger house, “if only” we had a better job, “if only” we had married our high school sweetheart, “if only” our children were perfect, “if only” we were thinner…if only, if only, if only. Well, there are plenty of people who have all of these things and are not happy.

Paul learned how to be content in all situations. (Philippians 11-13) Whether poor or rich, hungry or full, healthy or suffering, living in peace or affliction Paul knew his relationship with Christ was the only way to achiever true happiness and contentment.

Sometimes we already have what we think we are seeking, but can’t see it.

The scarecrow thought he had to have a physical brain but he already had wisdom. The tin made thought he needed a physical heart but he already had the capacity to love. The cowardly lion was more courageous than he thought when someone he loved was in danger. And Dorothy found out that there is no place like home. She said, “…if I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own backyard; because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with.”

Where is our backyard, our home? It’s said that home is where the heart is. If our heart is with God, we can be content. “If only” we could learn that lesson, we would all be a lot happier.

As we enter the Thanksgiving season I’m reminded of an old sampler in my grandmother’s house with the following words:

Count your blessings instead of your crosses.
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your smiles instead of your tears.
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your health instead of your wealth.
Love your neighbor as much as yourself.

I truly love anything to do with counting blessings. I love the old hymn lyrics “…name them one by one.” I love to hear Bing and Rosie warble “…count your blessings instead of sheep” in the movie White Christmas. I love a day that focuses on being thankful. Counting blessings keeps me focused on what really counts!

Thanksgiving often gets slighted in department store decorations that usually morph from Halloween into Christmas without giving Thanksgiving a proper nod. I guess a big turkey and Pilgrims dressed in drab costumes can’t compete with spooky witches or goblins and colorful Christmas trees. But on the other hand, maybe it’s okay. We shouldn’t really need to be reminded to be thankful, should we???? It should be a daily mindset instead of a once a year activity.

The older I get the more I realize how many blessings I enjoy. For me just breathing, sleeping, and being able to get out of bed in the morning have become reasons to rejoice. And what a privilege it is to have clean food to eat, decent water to drink, shelter from a storm, and warm clothing in winter. Basics? Yes! But these are basics many people live without.

Living in the U.S. affords us many freedoms other parts of the world do without. Perhaps there is more government involvement in our lives than we wish, but freedom of religion is still a privilege many countries don’t offer. We can still openly worship God and read the Bible without fear of retribution.

Of course those who truly celebrate Thanksgiving know who is responsible for every blessing we have. Those drab Pilgrims understood this better than anyone. It is said that in the first year in this new land they made seven times more graves than huts. Still when the harvest was in they gave thanks to God. They knew how to count their blessings instead of crosses and losses. Hmm? That reminds me of my grandmother’s sampler.

Psalm 92:1 (KJV) “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord…”