Happy Saturday!

Weren’t we wearing shorts and t-shirts yesterday? Not anymore!!

After Casey died I knew we had to begin making new memories. We found that most people do not ever get over the loss of a child or a loved one but because of God’s healing grace we do get through and then we must move on.

Our first new memory was to go to the Wall’s Christmas Tree Farm out near Terrell, Texas, and cut our own Christmas tree. We look forward to the red flyer that comes in the mail each year inviting us back. The farm is very rustic complete with red barn, coffee, hot chocolate, hot cider, cookies, and other snacks. We ride out to the trees on the back of a hay wagon and begin the search for just the right tree. Travis cuts the tree and we wait for the hay wagon to return and take us back to the barn. From there, the tree does the hula, shaking off excess needles, is bagged and then tied onto the car for the ride home. This has become one of our favorite holiday traditions.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, this is the day that You have made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it. I am so grateful that I woke up this morning with the assurance that I live in Your presence. You have not given me what I do deserve; condemnation, You have given me everything I do not deserve, the gift of eternal life through Jesus, Your Son. Open my heart to experience the fullness of Your love. In Jesus’ wonderful name I pray. Amen!”

Psalm 103: 8 ”The Lord is merciful and gracious…He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.”

On this last evening of the Thanksgiving holiday and the eve of the first Sunday of Advent, let us talk about giving thanks once again. This passage from Psalms is spoken from a life of overflowing thanksgiving and gratitude. At the writing of this psalm Jesus had not yet entered the picture, but these words seem to be words that He would say about the way God deals with us. We could never count the many blessings given to us by God. We are thankful for food, shelter, clean water, health, but what we need to be most grateful for are God’s grace and mercy. God’s grace and mercy are what God gives us that we do not deserve. Through the cross of Christ we are given these unmerited gifts of grace and mercy. God’s grace and mercy should result in our happy hearts. Happy hearts are thankful hearts where sad hearts are grumpy and complaining. We need to remember each day as believers to have grateful hearts giving gratitude to God. Having thankful hearts causes us to worship God alone for He is worthy of worship and praise. A grateful heart compels us to witness to others about the great things God has done for us. A happy heart reminds us that we are worthy in heart, mind, soul and body because we are children of God.

Let us exhibit a spirit of happiness, gratitude and thanksgiving throughout this holiday season for all of the benefits we have been given. Let us praise Him for His steadfast, faithful love and for choosing us through Jesus to be sealed by His blood in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes and a jacket. Count your blessings, say your prayers with thanksgiving. See you in worship. Love you all and thankful for each of you, 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 only moved by what I believe and I believe God.