In the beginning

The past few weeks, I have been planning a Thanksgiving party. I have been getting the menu together, making decorations, cleaning the house, and I had a 22 pound turkey killed for my picture perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. (James 4:13-14) On Friday morning my son woke up at 5 with a fever of 103.7 and could not move a muscle. My doctor was 95% sure that my son had H1N1 and gave him some medicine. My son stayed home from school and I called the school, his teachers and anyone he had contact within 24 hours to informed them that my son was ill. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." (Matthew 10:42) Friends were praying for my family and I was to call them if we need anything. Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:13-16) That night my son’s fever drop to 100.7 and he asked me if it was time to go to school. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. (Matthew 8:2-3) I told him he had slept all day and it was 6 pm Friday night. I also told him that his friends called to tell him they were praying for him to get better. "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." (Mark 3:33-35) It is Monday, my son is well. He has no fever, he is playing with his dog, toys are all over the house and my three days of being locked in my house are over. I did not catch H1N1 and I am now free to leave and walk outside. Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. (Matthew 9:35) Monday night, my husband was told to postpone our party because he was told it was better not to contaminate our guests. He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." "Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." (Mark 4:21-25) My husband told me to call around to see if anyone needed a turkey. The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit (Proverbs 15:4) I was angry, so I called my guest and told that two doctors said it was safe to have a party. I was very disappointed and that they were being paranoid. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (James 1:19) I was mad and my husband made a comment about Christian people and I wanted to tell him off, but Jesus reminded me: 1. The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools. (Ecclesiastes 9:17) 2. Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. (Psalm 141:3) 3. He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity (Proverb 21:23) 4. It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. (Proverb 20:3) So I told my husband that a Christian is made from dust just like a nonbeliever and we are not perfect. I sin, I get angry, I am selfish and I did not consider my guests' feelings. Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husband’s so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. (1 Peter 3:1-5) Tuesday my son told me we should donate the food to homeless people. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27) It is 4pm, we are driving to the food bank to drop off my 22 pound fresh turkey, all the food for the party and extra canned goods. When I got there, they were short of donations and they had this big sign “NEED TURKEY. Please Help.” "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9) As I was driving home from the food bank, my son told me that God uses people to do His work. Maybe God knew I wanted this party for the wrong reasons, so God gave it to someone who really needed that turkey for their family party. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. (Matthew 9:36-37) I learned that Thanksgiving is not about food, a clean house, good health, money, family, friends, a stranger in need, no it’s all of them and most of all, it is about God. 1. In the beginning God created (Genesis 1:1) 2. Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach. (Ecclesiastes 12: 1) 3. "Everything is meaningless!" (Ecclesiastes 12: 8) 4. Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

Thank you, Lord for showing me not be a stumbling block. Help me learn to love others as much as you love me. I pray in Jesus' name, Amen. Blessed is the one who reads the words, hear the words and keep the words. (Revelation 1:3)