Happy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Lemons
Can lemons teach us something about life?
When life gives you lemons, make … lemon meringue pie. What? Kind of a strange flavor for a Thanksgiving table. More along the lines of a Fourth of July picnic or a summer tea party, wouldn’t you say?
So, how does lemon pie relate to Thanksgiving?
Lemons have significance for me this year. Learning how to cope with that sour, seeded juice has been my most important lesson. If I strain out the seeds and add lots of sugar, water, and ice, I create a lovely, refreshing drink full of healthy Vitamin C. And I enjoy Every. Last. Drop.
When life throws us a sour curve ball, how should we handle it?
Prayer. Take everything to the Father, and He will comfort us. Have a good cry in His arms, and you’ll feel better.
This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me ~ Psalm 119:50
‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted’ ~ Matthew 5:4, NASB.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4a, NASB.
Praise. He is worthy of our worship and our praise songs that honor Him. Sing to the Lord–it will renew your spirit.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms ~ Psalm 95:2, NASB.
I will praise the name of God with song And magnify Him with thanksgiving ~ Psalm 69:30, NASB.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name ~ Psalm 100:4, NASB.
Thanksgiving. Of all days of the year, we have been taught from childhood to celebrate this day and give thanks to God. But let’s thank Him from our hearts, from the depths of our being. He alone is our all in all. Let’s lavishly thank Him for every blessing and be truly thankful.
‘He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God’ ~ Psalm 50:23, NASB.
I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my enemies rejoice over me ~ Psalm 30:1, NASB.
Wait. What do we do about our hurts? How can we be thankful for them?
When we run to the Father, he heals our hurts. He wipes away all disappointments and soul wounds and lovingly replaces them with hope and joy. In time, He turns life’s sour lemons into sweet lemonade.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight ~ Psalm 3:5-6, NASB.Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones ~ Proverbs 16:24, NASB.
For You, O Lord, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands ~ Psalm 92:4, NASB.
Have you suffered hurts and disappointments this year?
Here’s the remedy: overcome them with God’s forgiveness and grace. Leave them at the foot of the Cross. Then thank the Lord for the sugar and the lemons. There’s nothing better than heaven’s lemonade.
And while we’re expressing thanks this Thanksgiving … you’re invited to join me for a piece of lemon meringue pie.
Feasting at Thanksgiving
By Karen
Happy Thanksgiving!
If you’re like me, you’ll be in the kitchen chopping, whipping, mixing, roasting and baking for your Thanksgiving feast this week. This is one of two times a year that I go all out, preparing a knock-out menu that requires several days in advance. I absolutely love it! Here is a preview of this year’s holiday table:
Do you like to play games? If you never cook for Thanksgiving, or if you just take one dish to a party or family gathering, this blog post is still for you. No, it’s not about menus or recipe ideas—which are lovely—but it’s about thanking God for His blessings this year. And I’m inviting you to join me in doing it.
As we’re feasting on the turkey, dressing, cranberries, and pumpkin pie, let’s also remember to take this day to feast on the Word of God.
O taste and see that the Lord is good. How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! (Psalms 34:8).
As I thought about how to choose some “delicious” scriptures, it seemed logical to pick the nine fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. For this game, I’ll begin by listing my favorite Bible verses, from either the Old or New Testament—one for each spiritual fruit. Here goes: (All from New American Standard Bible)
LOVE: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16).
JOY: These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full (John 15:11).
PEACE: And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
PATIENCE: And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise (Hebrews 6:15).
KINDNESS: Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:4).
GOODNESS: Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalms 23:6).
FAITHFULNESS: They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23).
GENTLENESS: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS (Matthew 11:29).
SELF-CONTROL: And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).
Now it’s your turn … what are your favorite verses we can feast on today?