Black Friday?

Black Friday?

Where I live, It's Friday morning. I celebrated Thanksgiving, yesterday, with a wonderful group of students, staff, alumni, and guests, here at Pacific Islands University. Through the wonders of technology, I was able to be present at the table with my family on the US Mainland, just a few minutes ago, as they sat down for their Thanksgiving meal, at my elder son's home. Being in two days at once, and a couple of things that came up on the internet this morning remind me of the value of time. A friend used an old expression, that I heard many times from old-timers back in Virginia, "You're burning daylight." Generally, when I heard the statement, it came from an older man, addressed to some teens or young adults. The meaning/implication of the words is that this is no time to be goofing off. There are important things to be done. Then I read an email from a man about fifteen years my senior. He talked about others, in the generation before him, who had had an impact on his life. As I read his note I could feel the clicking of the cosmic clock throbbing in my bones. Which brings me back to Friday. It's already Friday here, and it's just a couple of pieces of pie and a turkey sandwich away for many of you. Is it a black Friday? There is nothing wrong with seeking a bargain. In fact, in many ways, it is virtuous, but the materialism and greed that mark the day are another matter. Maybe your's will be a blue Friday. There is a tinge of that in my heart. It was good to see Kathy on the screen a few moments ago, but in other ways it only made me miss her more. I think of a friend who has been separated from his wife for nearly a year, and another couple spending this Thanksgiving in the cancer ward. While we are thankful, the reality is that this is a world filled with pain and difficulty. Just this morning a good plan that I had ended up in a crumpled heap. It's not a metaphor. The remains are in the trash. My broken plan is no big deal. It'll be remedied. For many, earth has no cure. I look out the window, though, and I see a bright blue sky, with fluffy clouds floating along. I think it's a good day to plant some seeds. This Friday is neither black, nor a somber blue. It is bright with hope. The same God to Whom I gave thanks with my friends yesterday, and, via the internet, with my family today, is the God Who gives hope. Romans 5:1–5 1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. In Christ, it's a Bright Friday. It's STTA (Something To Think About).

Thank God for Who He Is

Before we discuss the reason for the season, what is the reason for your thanks?

I hope you have been thinking about something more than Something to Think About, because I haven't offered much grist for your thought-mill, lately. Out here way past what most of you consider West, it's Thanksgiving. I can smell the turkey cooking. As soon as I finish this I'll join my friends at church for a Thanksgiving morning service. I can truthfully say that I am thankful. I am challenged, though, by the unknown poet of Psalm 107, to ask myself, "Why?" Millions of people will recite today, "God is good, all the time," but I fear that most will not wrestle with the fact that God is good, even when He's not being good to me. Don't tune me out just yet, I haven't forgotten Romans 8:28. In this Psalm, though we read of hunger, thirst, wandering, sickness, imprisonment, storms, distress, and depression. Much of the language lays the cause of this at the feet of God. Is God good? The Psalm begins with this statement:          Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,          For His lovingkindness is everlasting. It is not a statement of "good to me," but of God's character. As I give thanks today, will my gratitude be anchored in an appreciation of who God is? It's STTA (Something To Think About).

TOGETHER, for Thanksgiving and Beyond

Together Again, It makes my gray head thankful:

If you have nothing better to do than to read STTA every day, you know that Kathy and I have been at our older son's house for the past couple of days.  Last night, my younger son and his family arrived.  Kathy and I watched, and HEARD, the "Cuzzins" having a good time.  We really enjoy the fact that they enjoy each other.  Everyone except my older grandson was there.  He has been out on his own for a couple of years.  He lives nearby and will be in and out this week.  It's good to be together. It's even better to be TOGETHER. My Daughters-in-law, and my sons are bringing their children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.  The oldest grandchild, the one on his own, is a passionate follower of Christ.  I can look around my son's home and see reminders of the faith that makes this, and his brother's family tick.  I am very thankful. At this point in life all of us being together is an important part of me being together.  I remember hearing Dr. James Dobson, decades ago, answer the question about what he regarded as most important in family life.  I found these words in a graduation speech Dobson delivered.  As I remember it approximates the answer I heard on that earlier occasion. ". . . be there. On resurrection morning, be there. I will be looking for you then. Nothing else matters. Be there." Children & grandchildren aren't computers.  We can't program them.  At the top of our goals as parents, however, at the head of the list of our priorities for how we use those eighteen, or so, critical years that our children are at home, in bold letters on our prayer list should be these words, "Lord, in the end, I want my family to be there."  Together. It is likely a long way from here to heaven.  For the youngest of us it could be a century.  I can't look in anyone's heart and see what is there, but looking around at my family together, and seeing the evidence, gives me great encouragement.  In the sense of "Keep it together." or, "Don't go to pieces."  I feel together. Moving toward Thanksgiving, I'm a thankful "Papa."  It's STTA.

Hope, With A Side Of Hash-browns

Hope, With A Side Of Hash-browns / Thankful:

"Usually, it works like a well-oiled machine."   There was plenty of oil and grease in the Waffle House where we stopped for lunch on the way to my son's home, but that's not what makes the team that dishes out waffles, eggs, burgers and hash-browns work.  I'll get back to that in a moment. November 8th a bunch of my fellow-citizens, having concluded our country is going to the place of Divine, eternal retribution in a hand-basket shocked the world by electing a complete outsider to the highest office in our land.  On Wednesday morning, another group of Americans knew for sure that the picnic container we are in was headed to the fire that won't be quenched.  Still others see the divide among our population, that the election confirmed, and just know that the two-sided wicker tote, with all its contents--that would be we Red-White-and-Blue types--is about to plunge into the pit with no bottom. There were about eight folk in a roadside restaurant who apparently hadn't gotten the memo. Kathy and I didn't intend to stop at Waffle House.  As we were making our way across Georgia I saw a sign on the interstate for a different restaurant.  When we got there, though, we found that it was only a carry-out place.  We needed a break from the Honda, so we went in search of something else.  Before we even got into the diner, we were glad that we had stopped.  A black gentleman I would take to be eighty met us in the lot, greeted my wife as a "young lady," and escorted us in.  Our waitress was a middle-aged Caucasian gal.  If I had to guess, I'd say her early life had had it's share of "drama."  Her job as a server was probably part of her having gotten it together, after some years that had produced their share of grief.  Manning the grills were a young black man who looked like he had played offensive line on his high-school football team, and a youngish white woman, tattooed, and appearing  like she wouldn't take any nonsense.  I've seen clones of them on TV news, yelling at each other from opposite sides of street demonstrations.  The guy who called out orders to the food handlers looked to have roots in the Middle East.  His man-bun, ear rings and general bearing said "college student" to me.  Most of the rest of the staff had a salt-of-the-earth, blue-collar appearance.  It would have been hard for a Hollywood casting agent to put together a better cross-section of America. It was lunchtime.  The little dining-room was full.  Others were waiting for carry-out orders.  The operation was functioning to the max.  When our waitress brought some more coffee, Kathy commented about how impressed she was with the way they worked together.  That's when we heard the "well-oiled machine" line.  Not only did the staff do their jobs well, they were having fun while they were doing them.  A woman who moved from task to task, kept up a running dialog with our friendly greeter,  Everyone else chuckled at their schtick.  You could pay a lot more at a dinner-theater and not get as good a show. Not only did people have to do the job at hand, they had to dodge their associate as she or he did assigned duty.  A couple of times one worker made her way through the hive of activity carrying a load of hot parts from the grill that needed to be cleaned.  The waters parted, and then settled back, leaving hardly a ripple. I hadn't intended to say any more about the recent election and the divisions in our nation that it revealed.  More capable commentators than me are speaking on the issue.  At lunch, however, in a restaurant where the Cleaver family would feel at home, I saw a model that gives me hope in the world where Beaver's grandkids live.  I doubt that anyone, on either side of the counter, has any idea about how to solve our national and international problems.  But they do know how to feed a room full of hungry customers, and have fun while they're at it.  Here are some observations distilled to do this points: Get a job, do it well, and take pride in your work. Treat those around you with respect.  Know that if they do well, they'll help you succeed. Put forth the effort to get along.  It makes it more likely that others will do so for you. Don't forget to have fun along the way. Listening to the news from the power-centers of the world causes me to be concerned.  Watching the crew at the Waffle House off of I-85 in the Peach State give me hope. Thank You, Lord for that encouragement.  It's STTA.

Thankful For Faithful Servants with Whom to Serve

Thankful For Faithful Servants with Whom to Serve:

"As long as you want us to, from now till the Lord returns, or whenever, I’ll be content to be your song leader, carry your bag, go anywhere, do anything you want me to do.”  Those were the words of Cliff Barrow, who continued to work with Billy Graham for six decades.  The song-leader and long-time associate of the most famous evangelist in the last century died November 15th.  You can read more about his remarkable life and career here. I was privileged to work with a number of people who displayed that same kind of loyalty.  Like Barrows, my associates were/are not primarily dedicated to their human leader.  They saw working with me as an opportunity to serve the Lord.  For my part, I came to realize decades ago that my primary ministry was to provide an environment in which these faithful folk could do their ministry.  Even now, as Kathy and I have stepped out of leadership at CBC, some of those who started with me, back at the beginning, remain my front-line encouragers. I'm thankful, more grateful than I can express. My prayers are with the Barrows family.  I'm encouraged by his life well lived.  I'm thankful for his ministry and wonderful example.  Let's live and serve so others will be thankful while we remain, and thankful for what we have done, when we are gone. To those with whom I have been privileged serve the Lord, Thank you.  And, Thank you Lord for those faithful associates. It's STTA.

Thankful to be Uninfected

Thankful For My Health, and Those Who Help Maintain It:

I just came home from my dentist's office.  It was a completely painless visit.  All I did was speak to the receptionist and returned home.  I have a fairly impressive array of metal in my body, so I'm supposed to take an antibiotic before I have dental work done.  I had forgotten to "pre-medicate."   You might be surprised to know that I'm not really aggravated.  I'm thankful.   Part of my memories from my childhood are of my great grandfather and a great aunt, who had broken their hips.  One walked with a terrible limp, the other was bed-fast.  My late Father-in-law broke his wrist.  He never regained full use of that hand, and it caused him a good bit of pain.  I have known folk with worn out knees.  Their lives have been severely limited.  The reason I need to take antibiotics is because surgeon put my broken hip and wrist back together, and another replaced my worn out knee with a new titanium and plastic model.  Sure, I'd rather have the original equipment than my metal parts, but I far prefer them to the crippled states I spoke of a moment ago. Not only am I a beneficiary of the incredible skill, and marvelous technology of orthopedic medicine, I live in an era in which people have been incredibly helped by antibiotic medicines.  I know it is popular to talk about the overuse, and misuse of antibiotics, but before the development of medications like penicillin: 90% of children with bacterial meningitis died. Among those children who lived, most had severe and lasting disabilities, from deafness to mental retardation. Strep throat was at times a fatal disease, and ear infections sometimes spread from the ear to the brain, causing severe problems. Other serious infections, from tuberculosis to pneumonia to whooping cough, were caused by aggressive bacteria that reproduced with extraordinary speed and led to serious illness and sometimes death. (https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/treatments/Pages/The-History-of-Antibiotics.aspx) We have the luxury of speaking about the inappropriate use of these "wonder-drugs" because we live on the back side of the changes these medications brought.  They are one of the reasons that life-expectancy in the United States has doubled in the past century-and-a-half. My wasted trip to the tooth-doctor served to remind me of the blessing I enjoy every day--a measure of health that was unheard of for accident-prone senior-citizens through most of history.  Many of you who read this do so through corrective lenses.  Some of you, like me, use hearing-aids.  Some of you are able to function because your diabetes, hyper-tension, heart ailment, or other chronic condition is controlled with a doctor's and/or pharmacist's assistance.   Sure, there is much about our healthcare system that needs to be improved.  In the USA, following, our recent election it is a hot topic.  In the midst of addressing what needs to be changed, let's just be sure to not forget to give thanks.   Lord, help me to be thankful for those things I so often take for granted. AMEN It's STTA.

Thankful, #2

Thankful For So Much:

I sit in a warm, secure house.  The empty plate from my breakfast is by my side.  My lovely wife just came in from her daily exercise walk.  I'm not a prophet, but experience tells me that in a few minutes she'll fill my coffee cup with some fresh brew.  I'm working to be more aware of, and more thankful for all that is around me.  I'm not living like a proverbial ostrich; I know there are problems and I write with sensitivity for those who are dealing with true hardship.  I encourage all of us, even those who are having hard times, to follow the Apostle Paul's example.     "I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me"  (Philippians 4:12–13).   His words teach us that a spirit of thankfulness has less to with what we have, and more to do with the attitude in our heart.   Lord, make me more thankful. And, by the way, I'm thankful for that refill, and the lovely lady who just brought it.  :) I hope you'll join me in a time of greater thanksgiving. It's STTA.

In the Thanksgiving mode:

Thankful:

Maybe it's the cold weather at night, more likely it is the fact that by the end of this week I'll be with my family for a visit that takes in the Thanksgiving holiday, but whatever the reason I shifted into Thanksgiving mode this morning. It's good, but it is also sad.  Anytime we have a greater realization of God's goodness and an enhanced commitment to make His grace toward us known that is a good thing.  That I don't dwell in that state of gratitude all the time is sad.  I'm not going to spend any more time in that mental bog.  Instead I'll simply take this opportunity to thank the Lord and to ask Him to give me a greater awareness of His blessings that all around me.  I'm seeking to stay in the Thanksgiving mode. I hope you will join me. It's STTA.

Something To Think About, Being Thankful:

Being thankful implies someone to whom one gives thanks.  If I find a twenty-dollar bill on the street, I have a sense of good fortune--what we often call "lucky," but to whom on earth do I say "Thank You"?  If I knew, I would return the money to its owner and would have no $20 for which to give thanks.  That vague, unspecified feeling of gratitude is coming to pervade our celebration of Thanksgiving.  We have no one to whom to give thanks, and often we fail to really identify reasons for thanksgiving, so we try to muster up warm feelings by looking at pictures of turkeys and Pilgrims. How different is the Thanksgiving we find in Scripture. Psalm 136 is an example of this robust Thanksgiving.  “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the God of gods, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. To Him who alone does great wonders, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; To Him who made the heavens with skill . . . To Him who smote the Egyptians in their firstborn . . . divided the Red Sea asunder . . .  And made Israel pass through the midst of it. . . For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And has rescued us from our adversaries. . . Give thanks to the God of heaven, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” (Psalm 136, NASB95)  Click here for an unedited copy of Psalm 136. Let's let this Psalm be a guide for our gratitude.   The recurring line about God's everlasting lovingkindness reminds us that the basis of our gratitude is not chance, but the very character of God.  The Psalmist leads the people of Israel through the history of God's  acts of  power and goodness to the people of Israel.  Each of us could make our own list of God's acts on our behalf. Two questions to ask about thanksgiving, as we prepare for Thanksgiving: To whom am I thankful? For what am I thankful? Write your own Psalm of Thanksgiving.   It's Something To Think About.

Giving Thanks Even When I Can't See

Thanksgiving, like prayer, is rooted in God's power and sovereignty.  The last eleven verses of Psalm 107, one of the great hymns of thanks in the Old Testament, makes plain that God is in control.  He does what He wants, when He wants, how He wants to do it, and to whom He wants.  Those of us who try to put to use our mother's admonition to say, "Please," and, "Thank you,"  sometimes find ourselves expressing gratitude in situations where it really makes no sense.  The person on the "help-line" was really no help, but I say, "Thanks." anyhow.  There is no such dissonance, though, when I offer thanks to my Heavenly Father.  

Picking up on the words of James, the writer of the Doxology proclaims, "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow."

When I offer thanks to God, I am not only interacting withHis all-power; I need to be aware of the fact that He is all-knowing.  That takes my thanksgiving to an entirely new level.  It is relatively easy to give thanks like the child with one eye open praying at the Thanksgiving table.  The prayer is a survey of all that is seen.  It is good to give thanks for what we see to be good, but if God is great and God is good, then even when I can't see the good in my situation I ought to offer thanks.  That is the message of Psalm 107.  For those who have turned to the Lord, even the bad times are fodder for thanks to my Lord.  He uses the hard things to compel me to seek Him.

Give thanks, certainly for what you see--it is a gift from God's bounty--but beyond that for what you don't see.  Give thanks based on your faith in Him.

It's STTA.

Counting Thanks:

All over the internet I find people doing a thanks a day.  I find it very encouraging to read these words of gratitude.  Reading one, recently, I was surprised to see my name in the list of that for which the writer is grateful.  One virtue of the exercise is it forces us to get past the "easy" thanks that we all too flippantly offer.  For God's people thanks needs to be offered in a way consistent with the idea that the "best things aren't things at all."  There is plenty of work to be done in the area of gratitude for food, clothing, shelter, and toys--too many of us routinely take these things for granted--but robust thanksgiving needs to go beyond the seen to matters of the heart.  A friend, for instance says, "I am thankful for the quality of friends that I have. Friends who pray for me, who encourage me, who make me laugh, who hold me when I need to cry. . . ."  A couple of people offer thanks for the neighborhoods where they live.  Another offers thanks for the beauty of creation.  Sundaywe will focus on giving thanks for God's unspeakable, indescribable gift, Jesus Christ.   

My hope is that this Thanksgiving we'll get beyond the thanks of the little kid who prayed with his eyes open--not a bad idea in itself--offering thanks for everything he saw on the table.  Let's offer thanks for what we see with the eyes of faith.  Let's put some buckle shoes and a cockel hat on Habakkuk and invite him to Thanksgiving dinner.  I'm asking him to start my meal with the words he used to finish his book.

 

'Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, 

yet I will rejoice in the Lord! 

 I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! 

The Sovereign Lord is my strength! 

He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights."

AMEN

 

I invite you to join us Sunday, 11/17, as we give thanks for God's "indescribable gift."  Our service will include communion, eucharist, which comes from the word "thanks."

 

 

 

It's STTA.

Working on Gratitude

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT   I'm working on being more thankful.  You would think by now that I'd have it down, but it seems that there are more barriers between me and true gratefulness than one might think. For one thing there are people who don't treat me right, or who I don't think treat me the way I think I so richly deserve to be treated.  For example unhelpful people who answer "help-lines," but who offer no help at all, instead wasting vast quantities of "my" time, with which I would no doubt do great things if only. . . .  That is a rather benign, self-deprecating example.  I would imagine that with very little thought you could identify people who have hurt you deeply.  Mischaracterizations are piled high onmisunderstandings, and the whole heap is sprinkled with just plain meanness. What I've been working on is to keep those kinds of things from stopping up the line through which the pure sweet water of thanksgiving flows.  We might be able to help each other.  Right now I'm trying to apply the Apostle Paul's counsel to my relationships:   ". . . whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things."  Philippians 4:8    Lord, I know I can't just write people off because they have hurt me--that's hurtful in itself--but help me, Lord, to remember those who enrich my life with their generosity and kindness.  As my thanksgiving flows, I pray that I'll find grace to give thanks for those who who have treated me in ways I'm not thankful for. AMEN   BTW, I invite you to join us Sunday, 11/17, as we give thanks for God's "indescribable gift."   It's STTA.       On our website, covingtonbblechurch.com, you can find recordings of messages, including (as soon as it is posted) yesterday's message on thanksgiving from Psalm 100.     : There is lots of information about the one Who died so that we could have life at our webpage, covingtonbiblechurch.com.  Click on "Life's most important question."

Thankful for giblet gravy:

A couple of years ago I sent out an email:  "When you think of Thanksgiving, what picture comes to mind?"   One fellow answered, "Mom's turkey giblet gravy over mashed potatoes."  Giblet gravy is one of those foods that brings strong responses.  Some think that

all--I emphasize "ALL" the stuff that comes from the inside of a turkey ought to be thrown out.  Others are like my friend--pour it on!  

What hit me, though, when I read the old email was my friends next line.  "It only comes around once a year."  It is fine to have a special food that is only put on the table  once a year.  I suspect that most of our Thanksgiving tables will contain at least one such specialty.  My concern is, for many, not only does Thanksgiving come but once a year, but the giving of thanks is an annual formality.    I have been present at Thanksgiving tables where there was an awkward pause before the bounty started making its way round the table.  It was clear no one knew what to do.  If one distills the paralyzing angst the essence is:

 

I know I should give thanks,

but I don't really know how.

It seems hypocritical to offer thanks

on this day, when the rest of my days, pass 

without gratitude.

 

I'm glad to say my friend is a man of gratitude.  The level of thanksgiving in his life challenges and inspires me.  I feel confident he would join me in saying, "Don't wait for Thanksgiving to offer thanks.  Start now.  Then when you sit down at the table--whether it contains giblet gravy or not--you will be in practice.

 

BTW,

I invite you to join us Sunday, 11/17, as we give thanks for God's "indescribable gift."

 

It's STTA.

A Failure to Give Thanks is Far More than Impolite:

A failure to be thankful is not an indication that you are not polite.  It is clear evidence that you are not right.

 

Psalm 100 is one of those scripture passages that gives clear reason why we should be thankful.  Gratitude should abound because of who God is, what he has done, in light of how his faithfulness is constant, and considering that his lovingkindness toward his people is without limit.  

If you don't know these things about God, that is a problem.  Knowledge of the Most High is the highest form of cognition.  The Apostle Paul said his desire was to know Him, and he looked forward to the day when his knowledge of God would be much greater (Philippians 3:7-13, 1 Corinthians 13:12, also Psalm 83:18, & note inDaniel 4 the goal of bringing a proud King to a knowledge of the Most High.)  If one does not have a knowledge of God, especially in an environment like the one where most of us live, where His  witness is strong, that is a problem.  If one knows God, and yet refuses to be thankful, the problem is even worse.  (See here in Romans 1.)  

 

Thankfulness to God is the altimeter.  Ignore it too longand the ground will meet you in a very violent manner.

 

Not being thankful is not simply impolite.  It is wrong--wrong in a deadly sort of way.

 

It's STTA.