Happy Thanksgiving Eve, Eve!

I think in the last two days I have made about 40 trips to either Kroger or Wal-Mart. I have noticed that the stores are already beginning to run out of some items. At this writing I am chilling the brine for my turkey breasts in preparation for smoking them tomorrow.

Tonight was our Thanksgiving Eve Eve Soup and Sandwich Supper followed by worship at Advent. The food was delicious. There were many pots of soup and lots of sandwiches and I don’t think there were any two soups alike. I made one of our family’s favorite sandwiches; bacon, cheese, tomato and spinach quesadillas.

Luke 17:11-18 is the story of Jesus healing the 10 lepers while on His way to Jerusalem. How courageous of these ten to come into town. They must have heard that Jesus was coming through town and of His healing powers. These ten did not even come close to Him, they shouted from afar “Jesus! Master! Have mercy on us!” Jesus responded, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” It was law when someone was healed from leprosy that they must present themselves to the priests and be pronounced clean before being allowed back into the community of their town or village. They had to be pronounced clean by the priest before they could be reunited with their families. All ten were healed, but only one came back and gave thanks. The one who came back and gave thanks for their healing was a Samaritan.

The question Pastor Joel posed tonight was why did the other nine not return to give thanks. Why did the one, the one most hated, a Samaritan, returned to give thanks?

I thought about me. Would I have acted as the Samaritan and returned to give thanks to the Master Healer, or would I have been so taken by the miraculous healing that had occurred that I would have forgotten to thank the Giver of every good and perfect gift? Sometimes I am one of the nine. I receive so many blessings from God out of His love that I think I take them for granted and often times forget to say thank you.

The greatest thank you I ever need to give is that Jesus died to heal me from my sinful nature by the blood of the Lamb. This is something I need to give thanks for each and every day. So I think I will add another sentence to my prayer time each day. I always ask for forgiveness and now I will remember to give thanks for that forgiveness.

So friends, let us give thanks for the food on our tables, the health of our family and friends and for the God who loves us so much that He would send His own Son do die for us so that His blood would be the cure for our sins.

Take joy in the journey and wear comfortable shoes. Love you all so much and give thanks for you daily. Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.