Monday, November 21, 2011

THANKSGIVING ...........................................................

THANKSGIVING -  It's a time to reflect on God's goodness and a time to give thanks fot the sunshine and the rain which He allows in all of our lives.  As human beings, we love the "sunshine", but God knows we also need the cloudy weather and the occasional storm  to make us more dependent on HIM. 

As I reflect on our life, past and present, I am thankful for:
-  Our parents
       Who taught us to love God .......
       Who cared for us through the good and the hard times ......
       
-  Our siblings
       Dedicated to the work of the Lord in various ways and several denominations

-  Our college years
      My four great years at Houghton College where I had little money but many friends,
        where finding a dime in my coat pocket for a cup of coffee was a bright spot for
          this poor college student!
      We are thankful also for Nyack College which brought us together as God had
          planned long ago.... That was an exciting year - met in November, engaged in
            February - and married in June!  WOW!

-   Our fifty six years of marriage to the same partner - a rarity in today's social climate
          even for Christians it seems....  for Dad who prepares breakfast for me every
             morning and showers me with his love and blessing!

-   For God's gift to us of forty three years of  exciting - and sometimes challenging - 
         overseas ministry.

-  For providing a comfortable home here in Georgia, where we have adapted in part to
          being good Southerners!  For giving us a ministry even here.

-  For First Alliance church where we worship and have fellowship with other believers
          as well as ministering through this church to the local community.  We are also
          thankful for Long Hill Chapel and Marion Hill Alliance who supported us through
          prayer and giving during our lives in West Africa.

-  For many friends in several different countries and for Facebook and SKYPE which
          keep us in contact with them even today.

-  For good health again after two years of illness...God needed me here a while longer!

And above and beyond all these personal blessings, we are most thankful for you five special children, you are the greatest!  And so are your spouses, whom we think of as our very own.  Your children and their spouses are all so special to us....and we just wished we lived a little closer to that darling Levi, our first great grandchild!

So many desciprtive words come to my mind as I think of you all.......
       generous  -  fun loving  -  devout  -  faithful  - understanding  -  happy  -  loving  -      caring  -  intelligent  -  supportive of us and each other  -  kind  -  empathetic  -   innovative  -  articulate  -  the list could go on and on.....  You are the greatest!!

How often we hear from other peopl the word, "You have a wonderful family!"  And we echo to ourselves,  "Amen!"

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