I'm thankful for...

Traditionally in the U.S., the Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated on the 4^th Thursday of November. But for the past 11 years, living in a country without the Thanksgiving holiday, we, along with a bunch of other Americans, have celebrated on the Saturday following what would be Thanksgiving Day. We get together and of course eat all kinds of American foods that Australians would find hard to stomach (at least in serving some of them as main meal food and not dessert) such as 7 layer Jelly and sweet potato casserole. But more than the food is the opportunity for Fellowship. It’s always time for good conversations, and fun throwing a Frisbee around, or playing other games together. But my favourite part is when we all go around and say something that we’re thankful for.

It’s a real encouragement to think back over the year, and to recognise the many, many things that God has blessed us with to be thankful for. There are usually some tears, definitely by me, because when people take the time to share things, the things that are said truly help all of us to remember what it is that we should give thanks to God for. For me, it was easy to choose what I wanted to say. Not because there are so few things that I can be thankful for, but rather because many of the things that I have to be thankful for in this year past are all wrapped up into one thing. And that is the thing that I shared.

I’m thankful for all the things that my parents taught me in the first 24 years of my life while I lived with them, to equip me for living without them. The list of things that they taught me could go on and on, but this past Lord’s day as I was walking to church in the evening, I realised that there is especially one thing that I am VERY thankful that my parents taught me. Taught me both in words, and very much by their example. And that is the importance of corporate worship. I was walking to church, singing psalm 119E, and I was struck with an overpowering sense of thankfulness. Thankful that we have the privilege of worshipping together twice on the Lord’s Day. Thankful that God cares for us as His people SOOOO much that He gives us one day out of EVERY week to set aside as different. A day that refreshes me spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Psalm 119:38 & 40 say, “That I Your servant be revived to serve you reverently…Revive me in Your righteousness; I long for Your decrees.” – that’s the kind of longing I had on the Lord’s day. A longing to be with God and His people, hearing His word read, sung, and preached. And I was revived to be in worship. Which is why, I am so thankful for the things my parents have taught me, and one thing especially, to view the Lord’s day as a blessing. And that, is what I am thankful for. 

Singing like David

I have a unique privilege most Lord’s Days. I get to sit next to David James. David is a 36 years old man who comes to our church, and he has Down syndrome. Sitting next to him a couple weeks ago and listening to him sing the psalms I thought:

Why don’t we all sing like him. With such gusto, almost dancing in his seat as he sings. Especially when it comes to his favourite psalms, 3A, 23B, 67C, and others. As we sang psalm 146B as our call to worship this particular Lord’s day evening, and he was singing next to me, it challenged me to think, do I sing “Praise the Lord, let all within me offer to the LORD His praise…” and really mean it? Am I really singing with all that is in me offering praise to my God?

As I watched and listened to Him sing, I was really challenged. I love to sing, but do I really sing with all that is in me? Do I sing God’s praise because I’m genuinely happy to be singing praise to Him? And I also thought, everyone should get a chance to sit next to David for a Sunday service, and maybe we’d have a church full of people who sing like David.

Worth it for the Blossom trees

There are a lot of days when I think "I have the best job in the world" but this is especially true in Spring. Don't get me wrong, there are also some days when I think "I wish I had an indoor job" but for the most part I really love getting out on my bike, riding around delivering Charity Bags door to door.

Spring time comes and I think "I love Spring!" I get excited that the weather is getting warmer and I won't have to wear my beanie and extra thick socks when I'm out delivering. Then I remember, spring time is also often the rainiest time of the year so I will often be wearing my rain coat. And there are days when I'm out in the cold rain that I think "I hate Spring"

Then I get excited that Spring also means longer days. The sun rises earlier and sets later so I will have more times of light to deliver in, and I think "I LOVE Spring!" but I also remember that Sprintg means the coming of magpie swooping season. Magpies that swoop not just once as you ride past, casually getting close to you, but magpies that swoop again and again, hitting you in the back of the head, side on - attacking your ears, Making me frightened by the shadows of flying birds and the clicking sound that many birds make with their wings when they get close enough for you to hear, and I think "I HATE Spring!"

Then I think about the flowers, the beautiful, beautiful flowers that come out in Spring. Flowers that fill my heart with happiness just to look at them. Flowers that could brighten the day of anyone who saw them, flowers is so many shapes and colours, and I think about how much I love Spring. But I also remember that with flowers comes hayfever. Hayfever that at times is so bad that my eyes nearly swell shut, I forget what it is like to have a nose that isn't dripping, and my throat is constantly itching. And through constant sneezing and watery eyes I remember that I don't really like Spring all that much after all.

It's about this time that I come across the Blossom Trees. There's nothing quite like a Blossom Tree, with the pink or white flowers greeting you as you turn a corner into a street filled with them, or as you catch their scent riding past. And I remember that even with the rainy days, the swooping magpies, and even the heyfever that I really truly do love spring, every aspect of it, and all the things that make Spring less enjoyable especially in my delivering, all of them are worth it, worth it for the Blossom Trees.