THE ROAD TO JOY

If you enjoy THRIVING IN CHRIST, you just nay appreciate another of my blogs, THE ROAD TO JOY.  This video was posted on it today. - Steve

THANKSGIVING

It is the end of a family Thanksgiving celebration. We have been gathered at the home of my daughter Katie and her husband in Toledo. For the first time in several years my entire family has been at the same place for this holiday. Two more of my children, Christi and Chris arrived last night with their families. When they finally arrived after several hours of traveling through the rain and sleet of the Midwest, we gathered at a local Mexican restaurant for a pre-Thanksgiving feast. This morning my two sons-in-law and I found the only restaurant that appeared to be open in this part of Toledo, a Steak and Shake, and began the day's eating with a good All American breakfast.


Throughout the day between us we made trips to Krogers and Walmart, various persons began cooking portions of the meal, and we watched a whole lot of football. I caught my son Chris and his new wife Megan dancing a couple of times (the cheek-to-cheek variety). My grandson Jake entertained us with his 2-year old brilliance. Katie's dogs, Bella and Maisie, sniffed and barked and begged. Later in the afternoon my son Michael and his family arrived from another Thanksgiving celebration. Then we ate ... deep-fried turkey and all the fixings. Pumpkin pie...sugar free for me. As the third football captured the tube, the ladies retired to the basement to play a mad game of Scrabble.

There were amzingly few arguments or tense moments.

There was the treasured moment of being the family patriarch offering the family Thanksgiving prayer.

It's 10:39. The Jets have only managed a 10-7 lead over the Bengals. Michael and his family have headed back to Michigan (he's the only one who has to work tomorrow). I am blogging from the kitchen. The sons-in-law are watching the game. Chris and the ladies have returned to the basement to avoid Tim's agony at the futility of his beloved Bengals.

In the midst of all this I pause to say this prayer:


Lord, blessed is the family whose heart belongs to the Lord.
Who has learned to love and enjoy one another.
Who treasures one another's company.
Who understands that their blessings are gifts from You.
This is as you intended it, and I am truly blessed to be the Father of such a clan.
May we ever remain faithful and thankful to You.
In the name of the Giver of Every Good and Perfect Gift, I pray.
Amen.

THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS

I have long been a fan of Bill Watterson and his comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. His is not as overtly theological as was Charles Schulz in Peanuts, but every once in a while (I suspect inadvertently) Calvin makes a profound statement that triggers a scriptural truth. Here are two that I find in this particular strip.

The first is from James 4:17: "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them." New International Version

Then Galatians 5:6." The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." New Living Translation.

An authentic disciple understands that omission can be every bit as significant as commission when it comes to sin. Too many of us have changed the focus from loving our neighbor as ourselves to love myself and then give my neighbor the leftovers. Or be careful of loving my neighbor too much lest I not have enough for me. Or this one - love myself spontaneously but be sure and schedule how much I will do for my neighbor in need.

Maybe we need to walk through life with eyes wide open to opportunities to be a blessing to others, praying that our love will find greater expression than merely intellectual assent or carefully orchestrated projects.

AND NOW A RANDOM ACT OF CULTURE

Haven't had a good inspiration for this devotional this week, so let me share a random act of culture from the Opera Company of Philadelphia.