Day After.....

Psalm 100:4
Enter His gates with Thanksgiving, and His courts with Praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name.

The house is quiet.....
5:24 a.m. and I've been up long enough to get the coffee cranked and going. Went out to get the paper, but our carrier must be sleeping in this morning. It's o.k....not going to be a cranky old guy because my paper wasn't here when I wanted it to be.  Making my way back inside, my thoughts turned to yesterday. Family time. A feast to end all other feasts. Laughter and stories of past thanksgivings. Football in the back yard....sidewalk chalk declaring that "Ashley Wuz Here!" Discussions about Christmas, which is just around the bend and headed at us full steam ahead.
A second piece of pie, and a cup of coffee. Plopping down into my man chair to see if the Dallas Cowboys could upend the Washington Redskins.

My grandson, Tyler, and I took some food to a person who is homeless. They'd been invited to eat with some other folks, but at the last moment they called and told him not to come, so here he was without any food. We met him at the Texaco station just off Meighan Blvd. He was not in a good way. After handing him the food, I asked if we could pray for him. He said, "yes".  So we did. God came down to that spot and touched the man's heart. Grateful for the food, the man sat down on the curb and began to enjoy his feast. My parting thought and prayer was for God to keep him from harm, and that the Holy Spirit would bring to remembrance the things that this man had encountered and been taught.

To me, this holiday was call Thanksgiving is about God's provision that has sustained not only this year, but for years that stretch way back into our past. Provision that includes His grace that empowers us to be who He created us to be. Grace that enables us to do what He has called us to do.
His love that changed the way I see the world, as well as others that I meet daily. I'm not quiet there yet in this whole "loving my neighbor" but I am a might better at it than I use to be. Then there is the Peace of God. The one thing I love in my life, is that no matter how bad my day may be....no matter how hard life may have become.....when I get home, walk up those steps, and enter into my home, there is peace. God has created this haven from the outside world, where His peace rules. That means more to me than anything. If your home isn't peaceful, where do you go to find it? If your home is filled with turmoil, anger and upheaval, how can you survive?

My brother, Wayne, and sister-in-law, Sue, came over for coffee and more dessert last night. More conversation and stories about our "growing up" years. Wayne is nine years older than me, and as we sat at the table, I was overcome with gratitude for this man that is my brother. Time and space here in this blog would never do justice to who Wayne is, but suffice it to say, he is a long time follower of Jesus. Proud to call him my brother.

As we settled into bed last night, my heart was heavy. Yes, it had been a good day. A memory maker. But after Wayne and Sue left, we got news that some old friends of ours had died earlier that morning in house fire. Mack Fambrough, his wife, Kathryn, and daughter Jill  had been killed by the fire. When Chad and Josh were little Mack and his first wife, Linda, looked after them while we worked. Lot's of memories there. Our hearts and prayers go out to his other children, Susan, Janet and Sharon and Christy, that the comfort of God would rest upon them in the days ahead.
No other words to say.
Grateful yet at the same time filled with sadness for this family.
Please remember then in your prayers.

God on you....
mbb