Thanksgiving Adventures: part 2 of 3

So, after my father and step mother drove to and from Des Moines three times in less than twenty four hours to pick up relatives at the airport (two cars each time; one hour each way), we were all grateful to be together in his home. This will likely be our last time celebrating family Thanksgiving in Iowa, so it was nice to have the opportunity to play in the "big house." :-)

Thanksgiving Day was begun with a service at my dad's church. I have to tell you that this service so uplifted my soul and brought worship and joy to my heart that day. It was a fabulous way to start a day of Thanks-giving. All 21 of us attended, which was a delight. The start of the service involved a showing and reading of President Lincoln's message declaring Thanksgiving a holiday. Then video footage was shown of some of the missionaries from the church finally finding water in a well they were helping dig (80 feet, by hand) in Haiti the week prior (Haitian Pastors were worshipping continually in the background as the workers were digging, bucketful by bucketful down the deep, dark, hole). From there we went to scripture and praise songs, with traditional National songs of God's providence being sung as well ("America" as one). I literally experienced God's spirit descend as we began singing praise to Him for all we have in America ~ it brought tears to my eyes (not unusual) while worshiping. It was incredibly lovely and a joy to participate in petitioning God for our nation.

The pastor then gave a message about what it means to give thanks, and what we as Americans should be so grateful for related to how God has provided for us and given us a country of such incredible freedoms. The message ended with a Ray VanderLaan video of students in the dark below-ground caves learning about how the Bible was preserved for us, and an incredible prayer from a gal who had literally watched her family murdered for thier beliefs and had fled her own murder to live in hiding until she came to the U.S...

We are so incredibly blessed in America. And, as this pastor reminded us, exhorted to show how God has blessed us, to reach out and help others not only in our own country, but in many other places in the world, where persecution is rampant and belief in the gospel is likened to a death warrant...

Thank you, Lord, for our blessed American freedom and prosperity like no other. May we stop to reflect upon our founding fathers and the tenets upon which our country was raised. May we turn back to the values of our forefathers, and remember all that You have done for us. To him whom much has been given, much is expected. May we rise up and submit ourselves to You to be used for Your glory ~ Thank You for free churches, denominational freedoms, and our ability to worship without persecution ~ You are truly an AWESOME God.