It's a good idea, on this day of Thanksgiving, for me to post a list of things I'm thankful for. All through the year God showers us with blessings, and even if it seems like Thanksgiving is deteriorating in America we can still use the opportunity as Christians to offer up a little praise. Is it hard for you sometimes to remember to pray a prayer of thanks? It definitely is for me. But without any more delay, here's my list:
My dad's new job (which prompted the title of this post in Russian). He's back in the mission field working for Lutheran Hour Ministries, and I can tell how happy it makes him, which makes me happy.
The house that my parents found in St. Louis so quickly and easily. It's a nice place to live.
The financial security I've enjoyed.
My job, where I not only earn money but also enjoy myself and get homework done.
My family. We don't really have family drama. Unconditional love and support are always available in ample supply.
Concordia, and the professors who teach there. I also thank God for guiding me to become a Psychology major. It's been a very welcome change.
Music that I can listen to and perform. This has been a huge year for developing my singing, and I can't thank God enough for giving me that talent.
The willpower and support needed to lose 25 pounds.
My friends everywhere. I'm so blessed with the number of people who I enjoy being around and who love and support me no matter what. I'm especially thankful for new friends who remind me why I'm likeable.
Church at Concordia, where I'm richly fed every day. Also, my new church in St. Louis which has been welcoming and full of delight.
The people of Carlinville, who have been so wonderful over the last 9 years. I'm so thankful that I had a close community to grow up in, and such a loving church family to belong to.
Good health for me and my family. The last year has included quite a few scares, but we've always come out okay.
Most importantly, the sacrifice of Jesus that gives me hope and joy every day, knowing that when I die my spirit will live with him forever.
These are only a few things that especially come to mind. If I were to begin to list all the "little things" in life that make me smile I would be able to go on forever. It goes to show how richly we are blessed.
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever."
Psalm 136:1
Friends, bear with me as I stumble through this. I'm going to be as sensitive as I can, but it's a touchy topic.
People get very defensive about what they believe.
This completely makes sense. Our beliefs (morals, etiquette, politics, faith, etc.) are the deepest and most established parts of our being. We form sets of beliefs based on how we were brought up and the things we've experienced in life. Most of us aren't really comfortable digging very deep into our beings on a daily basis, so things tend to get tense and awkward when stuff like that comes up. That's exactly why we choose friends who are part of the same church that we are, and we share political views with our parents, and we disassociate from people who we think follow the wrong morals or codes of conduct (read: people we think are rude). The more we can avoid conflicts in beliefs, the happier we are.
Hence the issue that arises during "election season". Here is a time when suddenly people think it's normal and okay to declare their beliefs publicly. They're trying to influence people so that in the end the government will (at least partially) follow what they believe. Every once in a while it works, and you say something that makes one of your friends go "Hey, I never thought about it like that", and they change their mind. Most of the time, however, people are pretty set in their opinions. So how do we know who is right? Well, as Christians, I think we can all agree that God is right. The other day I heard someone say that it's not right to base political opinions on God's Word, because it doesn't have to apply to things like social issues. To be blunt - that's ridiculous. Where, if not from God, are you getting the deep beliefs that influence your choices? If we pick and choose where to apply the Word and where to forget it, who gets to draw that line?
1 Peter 2:13-15 says this: "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do." I cannot presume to say which politician most accurately represents Biblical principles (most of the time I don't think any of them really do). And yeah, there's nothing in scripture that tells us how to balance the national budget (being frugal and using our gifts intelligently is a pretty good idea, but I digress). My main point is this: Never forget that Christians are called to live every second of their lives in faith and holiness. There are no situations when Christian values just don't apply. At the end of the day, when we're looking for answers and refining our beliefs, we should look to God for guidance.
I pray for His blessings on the decisions you face, both in this next week and throughout your lives.
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