THANKSGIVING MEMORIES

Happy 2 days after Thanksgiving. I am still giving thanks...even though the "official" day for giving thanks is over. It's kinda like prayer. Many people...me included...pray when there is a need...which a lot of times for me is not a need but a greed...BUT...prayer is always in order....just like rejoicing is always in order...and thanking is always in order. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18 and Philippians 4:4)

We had a wonderful time as an eclectic grouping of people arrived at our home for feasting, fun, and fellowship. Chip Payne and J.R. Becker along with myself... baptized the bird in hot peanut oil. Remember that the word baptized is rooted in the Greek language as bapto...baptizo...which means to DIP...to wholly immerse and object into an element and to withdraw it from said element. Various baptisms mention in the Bible are John's baptism...where John the Dipper...dipped people into the element of the Jordan River because they had repented. God dips us into the body of Christ...while Jesus dips us into the Holy Spirit and fire....and Christians are dipped into water as we become followers of Jesus. The questions begs to ask....should we DIP our turkey into the element of PEANUT OIL...or should we DIP the TURKEY...in GREECE? (Sorry).

Steve Burkett...and Dr. J (Dr. Frank Jones)...brought along their musical instruments...and more important...their musical giftings....and entertained with various selections. Ol' Ruminatin' Rod even played a few. I have got to change those strings. I mean...3 years is a long time to be playing on the same strings.

For a brief minute...we thought that we may not have enough food...but the Lord was gracious and everyone got plenty of food...plus some.

It was a perfect day weather wise...in the 60's...no rain...sunshine. This is especially good...since it opens up the deck for people to congregate.

We had one mishap on this joyous day...of Thanksgiving. Someone...went through some purses...and stole over $100.00 worth of other peoples money.
Brenda and I were devastated. In all our years of opening our homes...this has never happened. As we were playing our music...while people were eating... while people were laughing...someone was giving thanks...that no one was in the bedroom where the purses were....and they were very thankful that God had supplied them sweet pickings for their Christmas.

The question is....WHAT DO WE DO NOW.

The answer is....REJOICE ALWAYS...PRAY WITHOUT CEASING...IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS....FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD CONCERNING YOU IN CHRIST JESUS. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)

NOTE: The WILL OF GOD...is NOT...that someone absconded with the money....but the WILL OF GOD...is NOT to lose focus on who is in CONTROL of our lives.

"And we know that God CAUSES ALL THINGS (the good, the bad, and the ugly)...to WORK TOGETHER...for GOOD...to those who love God...to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!

Lord....bless this individual that stole the money....but more importantly speak to this person...convict them of their sin...and let them realize that they need an intimate relation with you.

They can't steal from us...because we are only stewards of what God has given to us.

Love and Very, Very, Very, Thankful Kisses
Rodney "Lovin' How God Can Take A Bad Thang...And Turn It into a Rambling" Boyd