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JOURNAL
(back to Farmers Journal) 11-24-05 "Thanksgiving Day" The following writing is a token of a grace-love attitude from the humility of a father to his son. On this Thanksgiving Day, 2005, when we reflect on our family and the expressions of our love for each other in both good and bad times, this writing is a thought provoking word picture. Happily, the Lord's grace is sufficient for all of us. He is continually grace-loving us with His truth and His solutions. Here are a few reasons why I am giving thanks today: 1. The salvation work of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If it were not for His humility and love for His Father, I would have no hope, no eternal life, and no real home. Phil 3: 20, our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. 1 John 1: 9, the rebound and keep moving position of humility and strength. I can be one of the lousiest people I know. I can have such out of the ballpark preconceived ideas, misunderstood perceptions, and crossed-wiring ideas! I can get myself all tangled up in a tizzy if I am not grace-oriented. But, by the grace of God, I have solutions and rebound is the first step. I have assurance and confidence that whenever I realize my failure, I can tell it to Him and He will forgive my error, my sins that surround it, and my wrongdoings that are a result of it. This is grace-love. I could not live freely and abundantly without grace-love. I am rich with grace-love because of who and what my Lord God is. 1 John 1: 9, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 3. The spiritual life, a prosperous life of harmonious rapport with God via His Spirit and His Word. I am so appreciative of and thankful for the plan of God for my life. I am so thankful that He has provided a local church, a pastor-teacher (shepherd) and a family of like-minded believers where I can grow in His grace and His Word. I am so grateful for the opportunity to study the Word of God every day because I am free! Proverbs 23: 23, buy truth and do not sell it; get wisdom and instruction and understanding. 4. The United States of America, one nation under God, a land of unique freedom. If it were not for this unique freedom, I would not be able to worship the Lord God freely. If it were not for believers studying the Word of God and putting it to use in their lives, I would not have a nation. As goes the believer, so goes the nation. I give thanks for the pastor-teachers who are daily defending our country by studying and teaching the Word of God. I give thanks for the nation's military soldiers who are at this very moment defending this nation and our most sacred freedom. I give thanks for the nation's Christian soldiers who are consistently growing in grace and studying the scriptures to produce virtue in our nation. The Lord puts a wall of fire around a righteous nation. Proverbs 14: 34, righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to people. 5. Family, friends & neighbors, acquaintances, associates and every individual that the Lord brings into my life. Every person is important and every one who crosses my path or passes through my gate is doing so for a purpose. I am thankful for the opportunity to be a friend, neighbor, farmer, and most of all a citizen in time and in eternity. Jude 20-21, but you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. If you are reading this and you have never believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, His unique birth, life, death and resurrection. All you need to know is that He is the Son of God, He is the Savior of all man, He died as a substitute for you, bearing the sins of all mankind on the Cross. He said before He died, "It is finished." He was buried and on the third day He rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is now seated in heaven. When the Lord Jesus Christ said, "It is finished", He meant that salvation is complete. There is nothing you can do for your salvation. All you have to do is BELIEVE in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is through faith, not works that salvation is freely given. Salvation is a gift. When you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are accepting this gift. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, Acts 16: 31. You can do this by simply telling God the Father, I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Greek word for "finished" is TETELESTAI. Here are the words to a song titled TETELESTAI, lyrics by Curt Parker. Today, as I was cleaning out an old family trunk, I found the writing FATHER FORGETS. It was with my grandparents' things. My maternal grandparents, Carl and Ruth Johnson, were always seeking the Lord and His Word. The writing reminds me of our never-ending desire for what is eternally honorable and worthy while struggling with the responsibilities, pressures, and distractions of our temporary daily lives. Here the father is a picture of the spiritual struggle of the parent who knows his son will soon grow up to bear the responsibilities of manhood. Only a father knows the pain of burdens, hardships, testing and trials that will face the man he wants his son (and/or daughter) to be. The author is unknown. FATHER FORGETS Listen, son, I am saying this as you lay there, one little hand crumpled under your cheek and little blonde curls damp on your forehead. I have stolen into your room alone. Just as I sat reading my paper by the fire, a stifling wave of remorse swept over me and I came guiltily to your bedside. These are the things I was thinking, son. I have been cross to you; I scolded you as you were dressing for school because you gave your face merely a dab with the towel. I took you to task for not cleaning your shoes, and I called out angrily when you threw some of your things on the floor. At breakfast I found fault, too -- you spilled things and you gulped down your food, you put your elbows on the table and you spread butter too thick on your bread. As you started off to play and I made for the car, you turned and waved a hand and said, "Good-bye, Daddy," and I frowned and said in reply, "Hold your shoulders back!" And then it began all over again in the afternoon. As I came up the road I spied you down on your knees playing in the dirt, and there were holes in your socks. I humiliated you in front of your friends by marching you ahead of me to the house. "Socks are expensive, and if you had to buy them you would be more careful!" I said. Can you imagine that, son, from a father? And do you remember later when I was reading in the library how you came in with sort of a timid look on your face, and hesitated at the door? "What is it you want?" I snapped. You said, "Nothing" but ran across in one tempestuous plunge and threw your arms around my neck. Those small arms tightened with an affection that God had set blooming in your heart and which even neglect would not wither. Then you were gone, pattering up the stairs. Well, son, it was shortly afterward that my paper slipped from my hand and a terrible sickening feeling came over me. What has habit been doing to me? -- The habit of finding fault and reprimanding. This had been my reward to you for being a boy. It was not that I did not love you, it was that I was expecting too much of youth. I was measuring you by the yardstick of my own years. There was so much that was good and fine and true in your little character. The heart of you was as big as the dawn itself over the wide hills, and this was shown by your spontaneous impulse to rush in and kiss me goodnight. Well, nothing else matters tonight, son. I have come to your bedside in the darkness and I have knelt there alone. Oh, it is a humble reward. I know you would not understand these things if I told them to you in your awake hours, but I look forward to tomorrow. I'll chum with you, laugh when you laugh, and cry when you cry. I'll bite my tongue when impatient words come. I'll keep saying to not forget, "He's nothing but a little boy...just a little boy. I am afraid I visualized you as a man, yet as I see you now, son, crumpled wearily on your bed, you are still a child. Yesterday you were in your mother's arms, your head on her shoulder. Have I asked too much, too much? Psalm 103: 13, just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. Proverbs 10: 1 and 17: 6 a wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish son is a grief to his mother. Grandchildren are the crown of old men, and the glory of sons is their fathers. A PARENT'S PRAYER Every day is thanksgiving! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
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