Thanksgiving Preview

gratitude: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciate for and to return kindness

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. - Colossians 3:16

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. - John F. Kennedy

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. - G.K. Chesterton

The Whirlwind of Life

Yesterday, I was listening to a lecture regarding Hamartiology, that is, the doctrine of sin. The fall of humanity is undoubtedly interesting and the effects of of the fall bombard us daily. The lecture and its suggestions were realized when the campus siren sounded, indicating a tornado warning.

I love storms. Severe weather, winter storms particularly, excite me beyond normal excitedness as I cross into border-line weather nerd. Nonetheless, I realized something even greater yesterday during the storm that interrupted my learning about hamartiology.

The whirlwind of life, so named because of the tornado that enticed this revelation, is a direct result of the fall. This whirlwind is instigated by time. Time consumes us. Actually, we consume time.

The whirlwind of life is unnecessary. There is nothing that clearly dictates we fill our schedules, consume our time, as if we were a tornado. Sometimes our schedules cause just as much destruction as tornadoes. We ruin relationships, dreams and jobs. It is hard to rebuild a mess made by our schedules because once our whirlwind of life begins, we do not slow down.

God calls us to be still and know that He is God; not to keep running and declare ourselves, our schedules, our lives as God.

The Saints

We are inspired by the wise, the loving, the serving, the selfless, and the faithful. We sit alongside them, listen to their lectures, read their words and sing their songs.

Many have come and gone, and are yet to come, who have shaped the faith and lived accordingly. Saints come in various shapes and sizes, tongues and tribes, natures and places. All proclaim a common name. We are blessed to know the saints. We are encouraged and spurred to remain faithful.

We can never choose to be a saint. We can only trust and obey. We can only serve and love.

The saints teach us and motivate us, even after they have left us. We are not changed by the saints though. We are changed by love, grace, and holiness, the nature of God, as our hearts are molded by the Potter. May we always serve the One whom the saints have served and leave a legacy of His name.