Thanksgiving

This week we will observe another Thanksgiving Day. It's a week later than usual this year because November 1 was on a Friday. That moves Thanksgiving a week closer to Christmas.

We usually think of Thanksgiving as a day to thank God for all the good things we have. That is right and good. But last week I read something that made me think a different way about giving thanks. It said something to the effect that we should be thankful for the good things we have and the problems we don't have. 

Here is a short list of problems I'm thankful I don't have:

• I'm not a widow
• None of my children have ever been in jail
• My car isn't wrecked (although I came close to doing that last week)
• I don't have a terminal illness
• I don't have debts to pay
• I don't have to wonder where my next meal will come from
• I'm not a refugee
• My husband is not a wife beater or child abuser
• I don't have any enemies (if anybody is mad at me I'm too dumb to know it)
• I'm not deaf or blind
• I don't need an oxygen tank
• I don't have to worry about where I will go when I die

The list could go on and on. For everything I have that I'm thankful for, there is a problem I'm thankful I don't have.  Everything we have is a gift from God and every problem we don't have is an act of His mercy.

Senior Moments

Two years ago I was asked to contribute some devotionals for a book Christian Light wanted to publish for seniors. They wanted seniors to write devotionals for seniors. The first thought that went through my head was the title should be Senior Moments With God. I sent them ten devotionals which were accepted. I had not heard anything about it for a long time. I thought about it Monday, wondering if it was ever finished. Lo and behold! The next day a package arrived with a complimentary copy of the book. And they used my title idea!

The book contains 101 devotionals by sixteen writers. They discuss issues seniors deal with in daily life--failing health, death, discouragement, disappointment, etc. The devotionals share personal experiences and offer hope and encouragement to seniors. Reaching the golden years is not easy street. We will struggle as long as we live on earth. But there is hope and a promise of a better life beyond the sunset. 

This book would be a good gift for a senior's birthday or Christmas gift. It can be ordered online from Christian Light. 

https://www.clp.org/search/results?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=senior&x=0&y=0

Rules for Writing

This is not as funny as it seems. I am appalled at some of the mistakes I see in newspapers and other printed material. One of my pet peeves is getting an invitation that says "Your Invited." Even worse is "Yous are invited." I want to ask, "Where did you go to school?"