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Showing posts from December, 2023

Worth the Wait

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  This year, Kristine  ordered a very special Christmas gift for her husband, James.  She put lots of thought into the custom made item and was greatly anticipating its arrival. As the days grew closer to Christmas, the package hadn't arrived and tracking was stalled. She was heart broken when she was advised to consider filing a lost package claim. What she thought would be the perfect Christmas gift, might not arrive at all.  Thankfully, a few days later, the package was once again on the move and would make it in time for Christmas. Her disappointment turned to excitement.  On this Christmas Day, we celebrate the most anticipated gift we could ever receive. Christ's birth was prophesied 700 years before that world changing day in Bethlehem.  That's a long time to be waiting on something. Many wondered if it would ever happen or if God had forsaken them, but He was so worth the wait.  May we never lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas.  Th...

This House Is Not My Home

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  On a Sunday morning in 1988, Dad went to bush hog for some neighbors up the road while Mom, Amy, and I went to church. We hadn't been there too long because Sunday School was still in session. A policeman came through the front door and asked for Wanda Thomas.  It's a good thing Mom had a good reputation in town or everyone would have wondered what kind of trouble she was in.  When he found her, he said, "Your house is on fire!".   We lived seven miles out of town on a gravel road.  So, you can imagine there wasn't much left to it by the time we got there. Dad was still on the tractor without a clue as to what was going on. Mom had to stop and flag him down on her way to the house.  Since there wasn't much excitement in the small town of Gloster, following the fire truck to see where it goes was the thing to do.  There were so many people parked all over our yard, we could hardly pull in ourselves.   I've never been a fan of dress...

Mission Accomplished

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  What happens when a group of people leave town on a mission?  A lot of things! Missed exits, hidden shoes, going to the wrong hotel… just to name a few.  Eleven from my church traveled by van and car for seven hours one way to do manual labor in a warehouse for free. That may seem like a strange thing for some, but when you understand the purpose of the mission, you're happy to do it.   Our group met up with some friends and family along with hundreds of other volunteers to process Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes. The red and green boxes packed with gifts for children in other countries. They have to be inspected before being shipped to make sure nothing in them would cause a delay by customs. They're then taped shut and crated before being sent on their way to the final destination... In the hands of children that will not only receive their gifts packed with love, but will hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They're then given the opportunity to partic...

Life Is More Than Food

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I love illustrated devotionals. The ones I usually buy are the kind that you read the text for the day, doodle on the graphic while thinking about what you read, and then write your thoughts about it. I've completed several books through the years. Many times, the devotions are exactly what I've needed to hear at the time. But the one pictured above stands out to me more than any other I've ever read. It’s based on the following passage:  Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.  For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.  Consider the ravens:  They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.  And how much more valuable are you than the birds.  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?"  -Luke 12:22-25 The main focus of this passage is about worrying. Something I've always struggled with....