Thanksgiving

Since we have Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve services at our church, it makes it hard to go home for the holidays. Since we were going to be in town for Thanksgiving, we were invited to Glenn and Joy Evans' home. We know Glenn and Joy through the Westmoreland Players, our local community theatre. Joy's brother, Mike, and sister-in-law, Missie, were also there.

We got to their house about 2:00. They live right on the Potomac River, so their home is in a very picturesque location. We walked along the grounds admiring the flowers, trees, and waterfront. After returning to their home, we sat on the back deck enjoying the beautiful, unseasonaly warm weather, a family of swans, getting to know each other better, and lite appetizers consisting of crackers with a mild bleu cheese spread, hummus, and a garlic and herb spread. Yummy!

After enjoying appetizers and each other's company, we gathered at the dining room table and had our second course, soup. Missie had made Butternut Squash and Cheese Soup. Okay, so maybe it does not sound so good, but it was DELICIOUS!

For our third course, we had a green salad with dried cranberries and walnuts. For those who know me well enough, you know that I do not like cranberries. However, I have to admit that I really liked them on my salad. I used a light cranberry and walnut vinaigrette to add the final touches to my salad. There was also a choice of a poppyseed dressing. Is your mouth watering yet?

Our fourth course was filled with other wonderful dishes. Glenn and Joy had brined the turkey giving it a wonderful flavor and then spread herbs under the skin for even more flavor. It was nice and juicy. We also had sweet potato souffle topped with marshmallows, cranberry fruit salad, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, green bean casserole, dressing made with apples and roasted chestnuts, fresh broccoli out of Missie's garden, and rolls. I hope I am not forgetting anything.

For our fifth and final course, we had a choice between Missie's pumpkin pie or Laura's apple crisp. I chose a little of both. Don't forget the whipped topping on the pumpkin pie!

It may sound as though we stuffed ourselves. We did not. Since we took about 5 hours to do all this eating, we did not leave feeling like we were the stuffed turkey. Yes, I did say 5 hours. Laura and I agreed that we will have Thanksgiving meals like that in the future. We were able to enjoy each course, enjoy the fellowship and not worry about the time. It was a Thanksgiving memory for the books.

What am I thankful for this Thanksgiving? I am thankful for family, for friends who treat you like family, for good food, for good fellowship, for salvation, for having a life of purpose, for God bringing to mind all that I have to be thankful for. Thank you God for all the blessings you bestow on me and my family!

I Bless Your Name

Laura sang this song yesterday at church. WOW! These words really struck me.

In prisoners' chains
With bleeding stripes
Paul and Silas prayed that night
And in their pain began to sing
Their chains were loosed
And they were free
I bless Your name
I bless Your name
I give You honor, give You praise
You are the Life, the Truth, the Way
I bless Your name
I bless Your name

Some midnight hour
If you should find
You're in a prison in your mind
Reach out and praise
Defy those chains
And they will fall
In Jesus' Name

We bless Your Name
We bless Your Name
We give You honor, give You praise
You are the Life, the Truth, the Way
We bless Your Name
We bless Your Name

You are the Life, the Truth, the Way
We bless Your Name
We bless Your Name

I think it is safe to say that we have all felt bound by the situations of daily living. What chains are binding you? Do you long for freedom? I do! Recently I have felt so bound. How can I/we have freedom? Reach out and praise God through prayer and singing; remember He is the Life, the Truth and the Way; defy the chains in Jesus' Name.

Note to self: Bless the Name of the Lord! Focus on the God , the key to loosing the chains, not the chains themselves.

Great Quotes

I wanted to share some great quotes that I have come across recently. I hope you enjoy!

"I do not understand everything about Christ and Christianity. I also do not understand everything about electricity, but I do not intend to sit in the dark until I do."~Unknown

"Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape." ~Michael McGriff

"Ordinary people with commitment can make an extraordinary impact on their world." ~John C. Maxwell

"Most of us plateau when we lose the tension between where we are and where we ought to be." ~John Gardiner

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Relationships help us to define who we are and what we can become. Most of us can trace our successes to pivotal relationships." ~Donald O. Clifton and Paula Nelson

"Perfection is what you're striving for, but perfection is an impossibility. However, striving for perfection is not am impossibility. Do the best you can under the conditions that exist. That is what counts." ~John Wooden

"Don't find fault, find a remedy." ~Henry Ford

“In humility we acknowledge God’s majesty, in contentment His grace, and in thankfulness His goodness. Thankfulness to God is a recognition that God in His goodness and faithfulness has provided for us and cared for us, both physically and spiritually. It is a recognition that we are totally dependent upon Him; that all that we are and have comes from God.” ~Unknown

Good News/Bad News

Well, I have some good news and some bad news. Which do you want to hear first? Okay, good news it is. My file went before the Army Chaplaincy Board on November 7-8, and I was approved!

Okay, now for the bad news. I was approved for Army Reserves not the Active Duty Army. OOF! So what does this mean? Well, it means that my file will be resubmitted and go before the Army Chaplaincy Board in December. When my file goes before them again I could be approved for Active Duty.

My recruiter is trying to figure out why I was not approved for Active Duty since I have a strong file. Anyway, we are back to the hurry up and wait game.

If we are still only approved for Reserves I could accept that appointment. We feel like we are supposed to be Active Duty, so we will keep praying.

Thank you all for your prayers and support.

Expectations

These videos are wonderfully outrageous. While they are a little over the top they raise a good question. What expectations do you bring to church?

Me Church


Drive Through Church


How different would worship be if we all came with the sole expectation of communing with God with a disregard for the style of music, the children's programs, the length of the sermon, the speaker, etc.? Good question to ponder.

Do you expect to go to "ME CHURCH" where it is all about you? What expectations do you bring to church?

Victoria's Birthday Dance

So, where do all the years go? It is hard to believe that Victoria is a teenager. She is really making me old. Last year we had her biggest birthday surprise, a trip to Disneyland. Even though we normally take a trip to Disney World in the Fall, we had never been to Disney for her birthday. It was a magical birthday surprise, Disneyland style. She was really surprised, and we were able to make great memories together. This year her birthday was a little more low key. Laura and Victoria are acting in a local production of The Matchmaker so our schedules are worked around the play.

Since we are getting ready for the Army, we said that we were going to get Victoria one nice gift for her birthday and one for Christmas. I have attached a short video of her opening her gift from us. Do you think she likes it?

Yes, Victoria is more technologically advanced than her parents. She now has an iPod. She has been listening to her music practically non-stop. I am glad that she likes it. Was that a hip-hop routine we saw her do?