EDITOR'SNOTE BY M ICHELLE GRANADO
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here is always a reason to give thanks to God. Time and opportunity for giving thanks can be endless, because of all that we experience in our daily lives. Yet there is something special about setting a day aside for that specific purpose. On this day, there is cause to pause and count our blessings. Thankfulness does more for the one who is giving thanks (us), than for the one who is being thanked(God). God is not dependent on our thanks to Him, that is, we do not add anything to God when we thank Him, nor do we take away anything from Him when we do not. When we are thankful to God, we are in fact professing to see Him as He truly is. For instance when we thank God for our daily bread, our health and well-being, we are seeing God as our Provider/Shepherd. The one who takes good care of us, leading and guiding us as we walk along the path of life.
Psalm 23:1 ?The Lord is my Shepherd there is nothing I shall lack...? God Almighty can be seen, when we reflect on how He has taken us through the storms of Life, how He has protected us from disasters and spared life and limb. We are then able to look forward with greater anticipation of the ?Help of God?in the situations we are now facing, or are yet to face. We can say like the Psalmist in 121:
?I will lift up my eyes to the mountains- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.?
Seeing God as a loving Father enables us to thank Him for the gifts, blessings and benefits that He has given to us and to our families. That He gave Jesus to be the propitiation for our sins and the Holy Spirit to be our Comforter, are benefits of us being called Children of God. We acknowledge that He gives us good gifts, as James 1:17 says: ?Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.? Thank you Father God for giving us so much to be thankful for! Thank you for being faithful to us, when we are not faithful! Thank you for being a loving God! Thank you for bringing us through the storms of the past year! Thank you Father, for our families and Thank you for making us thankful! Thanking God sets you in an ?it will be okay?, ?God is good!?, ?Alleluia!?, kind of place, and that is a good place to be.
NOVEMBER
IN THIS ISSUE
DEVOTIONAL Sacr if ices of Th an k sgivin g
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by Wendy Templeton-Stone
POETRY Th an k sgivin g pr ayer
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by Barbara Elkin PERSONAL REFLECTION
Closed For Th an k sgivin g
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by Donna L. Barr
MEMORIES Novem ber Alr eady?
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by Sandy McClaury
A Woman?s Heart and Soul Magazine Pro31Media LLC Designer: Danya Granado Copyright Š 2017 by Pro31Media All rights to articles reserved by the author of the article. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
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BY W EN DY TEM PL ETON -STON E
I?ve heard it taught that we don?t have to give thanks for everything but in everything. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 bears this out: ?Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God?s will for you in Christ.? However, Ephesians 5:20 says this: ?In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, always give thanks for everything to God the Father.? Giving thanks in everything is a bit easier to swallow than giving thanks for everything. How do you thank God for the death of a beautiful, Christ-filled teen that was just about to be launched into the world with so much potential and love for Jesus and people? How do you thank God for cancer that has stolen dear friends and family members from us or has at least caused massive suffering for a time in those who have survived it?s grip? How do you give thanks for devastating divorce? How do you give thanks for the miscarriage of a precious, long awaited and dreamed of child? How do you give thanks for infertility?
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These are just a handful of the painful things dear ones very close to me have faced in recent days. I?ve walked alongside them in their grief and heartache as well as physical pain. I?ve grieved with them for their loss while experiencing my own loss through many of these situations. I?ve tried to be there for them to just listen as they express frustration and ask why while wrestling with the same emotions and hard questions myself. I KNOW God is big enough to be able to take all our frustrations and anger. I believe He invites us to be real and raw with Him. He knows what we are feeling and thinking, and as we express and release these feelings and thoughts to Him, He will release His peace to us if we are willing to receive it and allow it to manifest. Walking through pain and grief is difficult and it takes time. A friend once expressed that grieving is one of the hardest things we have to do in this life. I think he was right.
I t is extr em ely difficult to be able to thank God for the r eally difficult tr ials in this life like those listed above while we ar e in the m idst of them . That is tr uly a sacr ifice of thanksgiving. Per haps a bit easier choice is to choose to give thanks in them . W e can find things to thank H im for despite the pain we ar e endur ing even if we can?t, in that m om ent, thank H im for the pain Being able to thank Him for everything, as is commanded in Ephesians 5:20, comes from a place of understanding His true nature. He is LOVE (1John 4:8). Everything He allows to touch our lives has first been sifted through His almighty, powerful, tender, loving hands. Everything has been ordained to accomplish His greatest purpose for us as His children which is to be transformed into the image of His Son so that we might truly reflect His nature - HIS LOVE - and thus bring honor and glory to Him the Creator of the Universe, the Giver of every good and perfect gift, the Author and Finisher of LIFE. Today, I am thankful that we serve a merciful, gentle, kind, tender and loving God who, being omniscient,
knows the details of our lives. He feels and relates to the pain and loss we have experienced because He is one with us (if we are His children) and in order for that to be possible, He gave up His Son to die an excruciating death. He watched as Jesus was abused and betrayed and even had to, for a moment, turn His face from His beloved Son as Jesus took on the sin of the world for all time. He meets us right where we are, in the midst of our anger and frustration, and doesn?t expect or demand that we be in any different place emotionally, spiritually, or physically than where we are at any given moment. He loves us in the midst of the pain and accepts us unconditionally. He carries us through the pain and frustration and gently sets us back down on solid ground where we can gather our bearings and look back and see the blessing of knowing Him more deeply than ever before because of the pain we have endured. When we have landed on the other side and reached that place of acceptance, we can indeed thank Him for everything for it is only through the pain that we can truly appreciate the love, grace, comfort, victory, and life that is ours in Him.
I f you ar e gr ieving r ight now, know that it?s okay to be wher ever you ar e in that jour ney. Rem em ber , God will m eet you r ight wher e you ar e, and H e doesn?t expect you to be in any other place than wher e you ar e. Although this may be hard to hear right now, trust that He does indeed ?cause all things to work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. For those He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son so that He would be the first born among many brethren? (Romans 8:28-29). Trust that the plans He has for you are for a hope and future for your prosperity and not your destruction (Jeremiah 29:11). In time, you will come to that place where you can offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and tell of His works with joyful singing (Psalm 107:22).
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Thanks be to God--Father, Spirit and Son-Above all, before all, the true, sovereign One. We are blessed every day as You call us Your Own, And because of Your presence we are never alone. Your love is our anchor, our hope and our peace, And because You are worthy, our thanks will not cease. Now we gratefully pause in unity say: Our heartsoverflow with thanksgiving today. For food and for friendsweoffer a prayer At thisbountiful tablewejoyously share. For homesand for work and for each need that'smet, Wehumbly acknowledgeall theblessingsweget. For thiscountry wecherish and thefreedomswelove, Wevoiceadoration, Dear Creator above. For health and skilled doctors, for peoplewhocare, For themany whoserveus, weraiseup a prayer. Thesegiftscomefrom You, our Savior and Guide, and with thankswereceiveeach oneYou provide. Though wearenot deserving, You choosetogivegrace, And we'reawed by Your Power aswegather in thisplace. Wecan't count our blessings, for they outnumber our measure. So, Lord, let ussimply with most heartfelt pleasure Say "Thank You" and "Thank You" and "Thank You" again. For all that You'vefgven, weloveYou. Amen.
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At
Thanksgiving, newspapers overflow with store circulars proclaiming their best holiday deals on popular toys, gadgets and products available for sale on Black Friday if not before. Some stores attempt to edge out their competitors by opening in the evening on Thanksgiving Day, while others remain ?Closed for Thanksgiving?, appealing to family time for both their customers and employees. As over-sized balloons soar amid New York?s skyscrapers, and the Rockettes perform their iconic, synchronized kicks at the Macy?s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the aroma of stuffed turkeys and apple pies waft through the air filling our homes with the sights, sounds and scents of the holiday season. In less than 24 hours, the Christmas Season will officially begin as shoppers clamber, lists in hand, for that sought after ?perfect gift?. My girls and I experienced an unforgettable predicament the last time we ventured to the mall on Black Friday. After repeatedly circling the parking lot in search of an empty space, I finally noticed a car leaving, and waited for my intended target. Out of nowhere, a man in business attire appeared, and stood in the middle of my spot. On his cell phone, he was clearly holding the space for someone else, though I was there first. I shook my head at him and inched forward, but having thrown the gauntlet, he didn?t budge. In the few short seconds that followed, conflicting thoughts battled in my conscience as if a devil sat on one
shoulder while an angel gave it?s bidding on my other. I had a choice. Do I lean on my horn and cause a scene? Do I attempt to force him out risking him personal injury? What if he?s unstable and pulls a weapon? Since my girls were watching my example, and as the Spirit within me sang ?Let It Go?, I opted for a scenario that did not require the police, handcuffs or surveillance footage. So m et i m es ch o o si n g w h at ?s r i gh t r eq u i r es t h o u gh t an d ef f o r t as t h e Sam ar i t an l ep er ex p er i en ced i n L u k e 17:11- 19 . In Jesus?day, Jewish law protected communities from infectious epidemics by establishing colonies where those with contagious skin diseases would live outside the town. While traveling between Galilee and Jerusalem, a span of 80 miles, Jesus encountered ten leprous men in one such village begging Him for healing. Jesus sent them to a priest who could examine them and proclaim them well, their faith healing them as they walked ?on the way?. They had to be ecstatic that their life sentences of ostracism were being lifted, and they were free to return to their families, work and worship. In their excitement to be restored to societal living, it?s easy to understand their haste. Yet o n l y o n e m an p au sed l o n g en o u gh t o ack n ow l ed ge w h at h ad o ccu r r ed . Doubling back an undisclosed distance, the Samaritan leper returned to Jesus to thank Him for healing him. Perhaps as a Samaritan, a mixed race
9 despised by the Jews, he was confounded that Jesus, a Jew himself, treated him with equality. Jesus hadn?t excluded him from healing because of the discriminating culture. Though nine others experienced the mercy and compassion of the living God, Jesus was disappointed that they were ?closed for thanksgiving?. Only this Samaritan openly praised the Great Physician who heals body and soul. L i k e p r ay er , t h an k f u l n ess r eq u i r es m o r e t h an j u st t h o u gh t ; it requires action. Is there someone at work, home or school whom you need to thank? Will you show your appreciation by making that phone call, writing that thank you note, or exhibiting some other kind gesture? While being ?closed for Thanksgiving? to spend thankful time with family is a worthy pursuit, busyness or a hardened heart can likewise cause us to be ?closed for thanksgiving?. Though hardships may beckon to dampen our thankful spirit, choosing and expressing thankfulness rejuvenates our hearts. The ?perfect gift? we seek is not found on store shelves, but in Jesus. May God?s abundant blessings remind us to worship the deserving Giver of all gifts, for ?every good and perfect gift is from above?. (James 1:17)
By Barbara Elkin
Thankful! Thankful! I am sovery thankful. I givethankstoJesus, my Lord, For thesefriends, for my family, for giftsYou provide, For assuranceI'm loved and adored. Now wejoin asYour heirstogather in thanks And inviteYou tocomeand abide. Thankful! Thankful! Our heartscannot count All theblessingsYou'vepoured out for free; Every breath that webreathe, and creation that inspires, Lord, we'reawed by theglory wesee. Surrounded by wondersnowordscan explain, grateful attitudescarry ushigher. Thankful! Thankful! Wereach totakehold of themarveloushopeYou'veproclaimed: When wetrust in thetruth that JesusChrist saves, Joy abounds, for our debt hasbeen paid. Our tableisopen, Lord comebeour guest Asthecup of Thanksgiving weraise.
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November already? I always joke that as soon as we turn the calendar page to September, our life starts to speed up exponentially - like running downhill. I have to remember to keep my feet underneath me and my eyes forward because if I don?t focus, things will be missed. Big things, like classes and groceries. Mistakes will be made and chaos will rule. I have three kids. Can you guess what never happens? Right. Hey look! It?s November. We barely made it through October. (Think dentist appointments on Halloween morning, and finishing touches on costumes as we walk out the door with reusable grocery bags because mom forgot the trick or treat buckets. Just brush well tonight kids, ok?) And now it?s November. As a kid, I always wondered why my mom loved Thanksgiving so much. Now, I consider Thanksgiving kind of like the deep breath between Halloween and Christmas. Don?t get me wrong, Thanksgiving is still sort of demanding, just in a different manner. Like shopping and cleaning pressure. If I think too much about it, I will definitely get stressed, so instead, let me tell you a funny story about the first year my now-husband and I had Thanksgiving together. When Kevin and I had been dating for three, maybe four months, it was time to decide what to do for Thanksgiving. My parents were out of state and my siblings traditionally spent the day with their spouse?s families, so Kevin?s mom very graciously invited me to share the day with their family. It was the four of us, my future mother-in-law, my boyfriend and his brother. Now, you might not know this about me, but I am a somewhat (read: very) talkative person. Even with people I barely know. I think I had only briefly met Kevin?s mom and brother once before so I was a little apprehensive, but it was nothing I couldn?t handle. I wanted to make a good impression and, quite frankly, I still hear my mom talking at me in my head to remember my manners so I helped set the
table. I brought dishes to the table. I helped with ice and drinks and napkins and butter? talking all the while. We gave thanks for the delicious food in front of us and had a wonderful dinner. There were seconds passed, then thirds. Then there was a pause (probably me attempting to catch my breath.) Like many others, their family doesn?t leave the table until everyone is finished with their dinner. In front of my future family members? Empty plates. In front of me? Full plate. I talked so much that I barely ate my dinner. Panicked, I shot a deadly look at Kevin and ate as fast as I politely could so that we could still enjoy dessert and coffee before it was time to go (or, as I like to call it, ?midnight.?)
...Right in the middle of crazy and crazier, we get to take a deep breath and spend a day with friends and family. As soon as we left, I turned to Kevin and said, ?HOW COULD YOU LET ME DO THAT?!?!? He had no idea what I was talking about. I said, ?How could you let me talk that much?? He laughed, put his arm around me, and said it was the best Thanksgiving he?d had in a long time because no one had to find things to talk about. I?m pretty sure that was when I decided to marry him. These days, Thanksgiving is a little different. We all have kids and our parents are close. We don?t live in an apartment anymore so we have the space to invite family and friends to share the day at our house instead of descending on someone else?s. So, right in the middle of crazy and crazier, we get to take a deep breath and spend a day with friends and family, food and football, and give thanks for all the blessings we?re given throughout the year. I hope you enjoy your day of giving thanks as much as we will.