Giving Thanks

Often times when my brain is juggling many tasks at one time (which is just about all the time), I will say words backwards~ however, this time I intentionally mean ‘giving thanks’ instead of Thanks giving.

The fourth Thursday in November is one of my very favorite days of the year. Not just because every so many years it is my daughter Courtney’s birthday as it was last year. Or that my youngest nephew, Preston was born on Thanksgiving Day in 2000. Or even that it is my niece Ashley’s birthday this year …though each of these special occasions would be reasons for giving thanks.

I just think it is praiseworthy that our country, the United States of America, has set a specific day aside where it is a day to be thankful--the fourth Thursday of November. Not only in our country do we have much to be thankful but in our personal lives we have reasons to give thanks, as well. Yes, even in these stressful economic times. Yes, even with our loved ones being deployed to war zones. And, again, yes, even amidst sorrows and grief, broken hearts, failing health and unfilled expectations.

I am reminded of a story about a person that complained to God that the cross he had to bear was well, more than he could bear. So God told him to put down his cross and go into a room filled with crosses and select the cross that would suit his spiritual, emotional, physical weight limit. The room was filled with crosses of all sizes and weights. He tried to pick up some and couldn’t. He attempted to carry others but wouldn’t as the crosses were weighed down with much sorrow and grief. Finally, he eyed a small cross leaning against a corner in the room. He picked it up and it was light as a feather compared to all the other crosses. He smiled content with his selection. God smiled also. Unbeknownst to the man he selected the very cross that he tried to trade.

So on this day-set aside-to give thanks…let’s do just that---give thanks. Let’s rise above our circumstances and be thankful. The first settlers in America had the first Thanksgiving back in 1621, sharing a bountiful feast with the Native Americans. The pilgrims had endured (and continued to endure for years) much hardship, and illnesses and death of loved ones, yet, despite the circumstances and their current situations, they chose to give thanks to God, the maker of the heavens and the earth.

How can we do anything less--'despite of', 'in spite of' or 'because of 'our current circumstances?

Each Thanksgiving as we gather around the table to enjoy our own
Pilgrim-esque feast my family takes turns to express thanks to God. Sometimes, for some of us there is much to be thankful and yet for others of us not as much, however, we are always thankful to God for each other and the love, laughter and memories we share as a family.

Wendy’s Witz-dom: ~give Thanks on the day of Thanks giving~

God’s Wisdom: ‘…always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (Ephesians 5: 20)

© WitzEnd Writings

This little light of mine

This little light of mine

The very first movie I took my oldest daughter, Bethany to see was E.T. At the time we lived in a small town in Pennsylvania and were within walking distance of the local theater. Bethany was mesmerized by the movie and like all movie goers the world over, fell in love with E.T. At the end of the movie she began to clap and everyone else in the theater followed suit.

One of my favorite scenes was when E.T. was being hidden amidst multiple stuffed animals thus making him indistinguishable from the other toys.

Everyone was drawn to E.T. by the light he emitted. Throughout the plot of the movie his friends attempted to cover E.T.’s glow so that no one who wanted to capture him would see his glow. Yet, the luminescence that he emitted was necessary as a signal to guide others of his kind to him. They identified with one another because of the light.

Sometimes we need just enough light to see the next step. I was walking through my darkened house the other evening--hoping not to step on one of Rufus’s doggy bones or on Mr. Ball. I could not see one foot in front of the other so I felt around a small table and twisted on the bulb of an electric candle. It is such a little bulb, with low wattage, yet it illuminated the whole room. The darkness was dispersed.
Who can really fully appreciate that the miniscule light emitted from a mini bulb or the tiny flame from a candle is able to provide enough light for you and me to see our next step or illuminate the features of a face or provide a bit of warmth?

One little light like mine and one little light like yours.

Did not God Himself in the person of Jesus Christ proclaim that ‘You are the light of the world?’…’in the same way let your light shine before men…’ *
As well as, ‘Nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all…’** 
We are to let our light so shine to draw men and women to the Light of lights.

Our four children’s childhoods were spent in Wheeling, WV. We lived near Oglebay Park--which is undoubtedly (in my unbiased opinion) the most beautiful park in the country with its floral gardens, ponds, walking trails, just to name a very few of the allures that Olgebay Park has to offer.

Each year, beginning in the month of November Oglebay Park displays thousands upon thousands of lights in an array of Holiday displays, dubbed the ‘Winter Festival of Lights’. There is nothing more mesmerizing than driving around more than 300 acres of Oglebay Park in the dark of the night and optically basking in the twinkling lights.
That is the allure of one light strung together with other lights…all brightly shining, dispersing the darkness.

Along that string of lights~every year, my family attends a candlelight service on Christmas Eve to acknowledge and celebrate the Incarnation of the true light of the world. At the closing of the service, one by one each person’s candle is lighted and the glow of thousands of lighted candles illuminates the darkened sanctuary as their reflection also dances on the stained glass windows.

Each person’s candle…is lighted by another person’s candle flame ~the sharing of this little light of mine. Imagine what the impact would be —if each of us---let our own little light shine…for all to see?

This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine! How about you?

Wendy’s Witz-dom:
Don’t make light of your little light ~ as even forest fires are set ablaze by one little flame.

God’s Wisdom: ‘I (Jesus Christ) am the light of the world’. (John 9:5)

  *Matthew 5: 14, 16, (New International Version)
**Matthew 5:15 (New American Standard Version)