Thanks Thoughts

"Mister Turkey, Mister Turkey, Run away! Run away! If you don't be careful, you will be a mouthful, run away! Run away!" Rachael came home from preschool (years ago by the way) with that song. I have sang it every year (either out loud for all to suffer through or to myself when others have gotten tired of hearing me). It is almost time for Thanksgiving Day with all the food - the turkey and so on. The turkey that we will eat did not run away. It will be on the table for all the family to eat.

I share a picture from yesterday, Monday, Nov. 20th. It shows a turkey who was not going to run away.

I was on the Troy-Scott Road when traffic was brought to a stand still by this turkey who refused to run away! He would stand in front of each car and dare them to hit him. You could honk all you wanted and he wouldn't move. I found it terribly ironic and wonderfully funny that this took place. There is no real point to this thought, but I just found it funny.

Another thought that I have is that we are to give thanks to God with a grateful heart for all the blessings he has given to us. He has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams. We live in a country of great affluence. We have more "stuff" than we can imagine. And the "stuff" that we have costs a pretty penny to purchase. Take a look around your house and tell me that God hasn't blessed you.

Then go and read Malachi 3 and then let's talk about how we all are as Christian stewards of the blessings that God has given us. He says to us, "Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me." And like Israel, we say, "How are we robbing God? How is it that He could say such a thing to us?" And the Lord responds to us, "In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house." (Malachi 3:8-9 ESV) Look at yourself. Look at your giving. Look at how you use the gifts that God has given to you. Are you a faithful Christian steward? Or are you a fearful Christian steward - afraid that if you were to actually give to God of your time, your talents and your treasure - that you would run out?

The Lord says to you, "Put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down a blessing until there is no more need." (Malachi 3:10 ESV) Is this why our nation is struggling so much? We have lost sight of trusting in the Lord with our whole heart? We are a nation that has been setting God aside, not following Him, not serving Him, not being good stewards of all that He has given to us, not supporting the work that He has given to our local congregations to do (the sharing of the full gospel of Jesus Christ, not tearing it apart and doubting that His Word is true and right). Why would He continue to bless us when we rob Him - of His glory and in our giving?

Give thanks. While you do that, revisit your own personal stewardship life. Ask yourself if you are truly being a good, faithful, Christian steward. And know this, you can fool yourself. You can fool others. You can be dishonest in your assessment of yourself and your stewardship life. But you cannot fool God. He knows the heart. He knows the truth. (Thank God He sent His Son to pay for our sins! As we face these questions, we see our failure. We confess our sins. And we know that He HAS forgiven us for Jesus' sake! Hurrah! Thank You God!)

Have a great Thanksgiving Day. I plan on following the phrase: Gobble till you wobble. Enjoy your family. Enjoy your feast. Enjoy your football. Enjoy the shopping. Enjoy yourself! God does want you to enjoy life to the fullest. As you do so, be a thankful steward.