Thanksgiving For Love

Sea BreezesWe spent our Thanksgiving holiday in Montreat in the mountains of North Carolina. We didn't have all of our kids with us. Patrick and girlfriend Holly stayed on St. Simons as Patrick's work schedule kept him home. Usually everyone travels to our house for the big turkey day, and we bunk up like teenagers all over our house. This year Tonya's radiation schedule wouldn't allow for travel from home very far, so we met them at Montreat, a Presbyterian retreat not far from Asheville. The retreat was beautiful, the mountains were alive with the last remnants of fall color. Our weather was warm, for mountain weather, and sunny during the day, chilly during the evening. The "cousins" had a blast playing together and exchanged Christmas presents. We had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner in the grand hall of Montreat after a sweet Thanksgiving service.

The giving of thanks. This year has been an eye opener for all of us. Tonya's diagnosis and cancer treatment has been paramount in all our thoughts and prayers. I have said it before, she has handled all in an amazing way. She is strong and valiant and fighting with all she has. She has everything, you see, to fight with. She loves our Lord and trusts in His healing power. She fights with the strength and victory of God's amazing love and grace.

The giving of thanks. The freedom to offer our praise and Thanksgiving to Christ is a gift He has given us. He gives us a freedom to live our lives free of worry, or cares, or fear. Do I live a life free of worry, care or fear? I try so hard, and I fail so miserably. I am thankful He knows my weaknesses and lifts me back up again. Are you like me, trying so hard to please Him and serve Him and messing up in the process?

The giving of thanks. A gift. I thank the Lord that He has blessed us with the gift of children and that He has allowed us to see our children's children. Blake, Tonya, Henley, Lander, Paisley, Katie, Greg, Kennedy, Whitfield, Patrick, Holly-as long as I draw breath on this earth, I pledge to love you each with all I have and all I am. To Harold, we made our vows so many years ago. I pledge to you to love you always and always. I

So this Thanksgiving, stop and think about Love came down, took on our burdens, became one of us, and died for our sins that we might live eternally. God is Love, and where true Love is, God Himself is there. I am thankful for that Love.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

They Cast Their Nets In Galilee

Sea BreezesThe above picture is the scene I see every morning on my way to school as I drive over the Darien River bridge. We hear a lot of fishing talk where we live. Our little town is on the Atlantic coast and a lot of folks make their living from the sea. Fish of all kinds, shrimp, crabs and oysters are really cheap here compared to other parts of the country. Our seafood is fresh and tastes wonderful. Every weekday morning, I drive over the Darien bridge and am always awed to see our fleet of shrimping boats docked and ready to go out to the open sea for a days' catch. Shrimping is hard and dangerous work, the weather can change violently for the boats and they have to seek safe port. Some seasons are better than others. Fishermen spend long weeks out at sea away from their families. It can be a dirty, nasty, long hour job. Those friends of our who fish our sea love their jobs. They recount the hours on the open sea as free and peaceful, in a sense.

This morning at church we sang a hymn which makes me sad; yet makes me think. Our Lord called those fishermen away from their peaceful lives to change them completely and make them fishers of men. Many died as martyrs for Our Lord. They suffered for His Sake. I think all our suffering as Christians is for His sake. If, in the middle of our sufferings in this life, we can take the hand of One who suffered for us because He loves us so, then our suffering takes on a new meaning. Our suffering comes in so many forms, financial, loss of loved ones, illness, injury,loss of jobs, failures, anger at friends or family members.
And yet, we are still offered a peace that the world understands not, a peace that passes all human understanding. I will see those fishing boats pictured here as I drive over the bridge in the morning and think of those first simple fishermen called by Our Lord. Here is the hymn. I hope it makes you appreciate Christ's Peace. Are we willing to suffer for Him? He suffered for us, and died that we might live.

They cast their nets in Galilee just off the hills of brown
such happy, simple fisher folk, before the Lord came down.

Contented, peaceful fishermen before they ever knew
the peace of God that filled their hearts brimful, and broke them too

Young John who trimmed the flapping sail, homeless in Patmos died
Peter, who hauled the teeming net, head down was crucified.

The peace of God, it is no peace, but strife closed in the sod,
Yet let us pray for but one thing-the marvelous peace of God.

Give Thanks

Sea BreezesIt is suddenly that season to give thanks. In this economy we are all giving thanks for our jobs and simple things such as food and shelter. In this age of divorce, I find myself giving thanks for my sweet husband and all the love he gives to me. Our marriage is something I treasure. I give thanks for my children, and spouses and my grandchildren, and my son's girlfriend. I give thanks for our church and our dear friends, old and new. I give thanks for our silly animals that keep us laughing and busy. I am thankful for my education and my students.

This year we are thankful dear Tonya is headed toward the end of her cancer treatment. It has been a rough year for her, her family and all of us. We all have learned a lot about love and hope and perseverance. I am thankful for those lessons.

I am thankful we serve a Lord who loves us beyond our understanding.

I am thankful for the problems this year has brought because they have made me stronger and wiser.

We are closer as a family because of joining together in Tonya's fight for her life. She is still fighting and we are still hoping and praying for complete healing.

In Thanksgiving for you all readers, Phyllis