Be Think-ful

 

The people of the United States will celebrate a holiday this week:  Thanksgiving.   Thanksgiving first was a national holiday back in the 1860’s when President Abraham Lincoln declared the 4^th Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving.   That period in the 1860’s was a time similar to our time now.   Americans fought Americans, and brothers fought brothers in a time of civil war.   Despite that, President Lincoln was wise enough to see beyond the current state of affairs to realize that there was much to be thankful for. 

Many years ago, I heard the story of a young man who had a speech impediment.  I do not know the cause of his speech impediment, but am told that as he spoke to a family member one day he uttered the following:    “We…we…we…. Aaaalll…. Needddd… to… be… moooreee.. thiinnkful”.    Anotherwords,  “we all need to be more thankful”. 

It is easy for all of us to think we earned this or deserved that, or to believe that we are entitled to something.   Yet, think about it.    Really think  about it!     There are so many gifts and blessings we know regularly    I am certain that this is a busy week for many of you as you prepare to gather with family or friends… make plans to travel far or near… or prepare a meal or a dish for a thanksgiving gathering.   I encourage you as I encourage myself to THINK ABOUT IT.   Take time this week to look at your life in all its craziness or serenity and consider all the goodness you know.   And most of all, see in the midst of it all the certainty that so many of the blessings you know are ones that find their source in our living and loving God.   Happy Thanksgiving.   Have a joy-filled week.   -  Pastor Randy Wall

PRAYER --   Living and loving God, I want to say thank you for all the goodness that comes my way each day knowing that you are the one from whom all blessings flow.   Bless families and friends in their gatherings, and bless those who travel;  through Christ our Lord.   Amen.

The Story of Marine Corporal Ira Hayes

The people of the United States will remember our veterans in a few days as we observe Veterans Day.   Some will take a holiday from work, and some will pause and reflect on those who wore the uniform of our nation’s military.     While Memorial Day is a time when we remember those who  made the  ultimate sacrifice as they gave their lives, Veterans Day is a day and time when we remember those men and women who served in the military and came home.

Many of you have seen the iconic picture found above.   The picture was taken during World War II and shows our nation’s military raising the American flag on the island of Iwo Jima.   Among the folks who fought on Iwo Jima and raised that flag was a man named Ira Hayes.  He was a native American by birth, and lived in the state of Arizona.   He served our nation not only in the U.S. Marines, but he also came home and was a part of a team of “flag raisers” that toured the country after that photo was taken raising monies for the war effort of World War II.   Thanks to Ira Hayes and his associates, millions of dollars were raised for the war effort.    Unfortunately, the war left scars upon the heart and soul of Ira Hayes.   He suffered post traumatic stress disorder and he dealt with the scars of the war by drinking alcohol.   Ira Hayes died in January 1955 at 32 years of age.   The coroner maintained that Ira Hayes died from alcohol poisoning.   What a sad death for this man that truly was an American hero.

In I Samuel 7:11-13, we hear this story where Samuel puts up a memorial to remember how God has helped them:

¹¹ The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.  ¹² Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,^[a] saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”   ¹³ So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.

Let us raise our Ebenezer and remember those who wore our nation’s uniform and served on this Veterans Day.   The greatest way we can remember them is to make sure that each of these men and women who served us have the help they need after they leave the battlefront and come back home.   Have a joy-filled week.-   Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER --   Living and loving God, we thank you for those who served our nation as they served in the military. As they gave liberally to take care of us, let us give liberally to help take care of them; through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.