Thanksgiving

Corn Stalk Bales

on a Wisconsin farm

It is hard to know where to begin when writing a post about thanksgiving. On second thought, that's really not the problem. The problem is knowing where to end. So just remember as you read on, this is only a partial list of things for which I'm thankful.

Our alfalfa field: It's a beautiful green with lovely purple flowers, from May through October. I love to walk the dogs in the field and sometimes sit at the top of the hill and read. In the winter, the alfalfa field is covered in snow, but still beautiful - just not quite as welcoming. 

I stand in awe at a Creator who loved us enough to give us beauty and language and music and animals and sunshine and mountains and hills and rivers and wooded land and... family - family by physical birth and family by faith - those who belong to the family of God by faith in Jesus our Lord - a family that isn't defined by race or locality but by a common faith in a risen Savior.

There is rarely an hour of the day that I'm not thankful for the grace and mercy of a loving God, who knows the hearts of sinful, rebellious, hopeless humanity and did the only thing that could possibly remedy the situation - send His one and only Son to rescue us from sin and death and hell, for we were totally unable to save ourselves.

I am thankful that I can live before God, clothed in the righteousness of Christ. That knowledge dispels all fear - fear of God, fear of man, or fear of the future -  and brings me peace and JOY.

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'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' - Jeremiah 29:11

'Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.' - I Peter 2:24

'When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.'- Colossians 2:13-15

'...as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.' - Psalm 103:12

'Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.' - Romans 5:1

'Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.' - John 3:18

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I am thankful that I don't have to be defeated by sin. Daily, I can live with JOY because of what my Savior did for me. Daily I will cling to Him and His righteousness.

And daily, I will  remember that the only reason for my existence is to bring glory to a holy and almighty and loving God, the maker and ruler of the Universe. And I will thank Him for His mercy.

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I am thankful that...

Our God Reigns!!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!