Thank Who?

On this bright, beautiful sun-filled morning I was reading the Chicago Tribune Home & Health section. They had what looked like a positive piece about "transforming this into a Season of Gratitude." I like that idea I thought, and proceeded to read the suggestions for each day. The first day listed was November 26th, Thanksgiving Day. The suggestion given was to "Whisper thank you to the Earth for all its bounty." Thank you to the Earth? Is that who/what we're suppose to thank for all our bounty. I think not. Instead I would suggest reading the official proclamation of the person who initiated the holiday as we know it today:


Abraham Lincoln.






"The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three."
Proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln, October 3, 1863.”

I highlighted those words of Lincoln that refer to whom we should express our thanks: "MOST HIGH GOD, ALMIGHTY GOD and BENEFICENT FATHER WHO DWELLETH IN THE HEAVENS."

Though it is also important to thank each other for the kindnesses we have received, let us never forget whom we should thank on Thanksgiving Day.

A Quick Marriage and A Speedy Divorce

I am determined to embrace technology and give it a special place in my heart, so it was obvious to me to use my extra birthday money to buy an electronic gadget. Now which one? Kindle, IPOD, or cell phone. The Kindle looks alluring with its promise of holding thousands of books in a thin, 6 inch electronic display. This means that I could read multiple books at a time without the bulk of carrying them wherever I go. I often like to read a fiction and non-fiction work simultaneously, so this certainly would be a great boon. The Kindle also has the ability to highlight, comment and bookmark passages, another plus. You can subscribe to magazines and newspapers via Kindle for a fraction of the regular price. Again that was appealing. However, the thought of not holding a real book in my hand while reading, I don't know, it just seems so unnatural, like eating meal bars instead of real food. The intellectual nutrition is there, but not the taste.

OK, on to the next gadget. Since I have a cell phone already that I don't use except for emergencies, buying a new one appears to be a waste.

Now that leaves the IPOD. I love music, all kinds, but especially uplifting Christian music. Groups like Selah and Casting Crowns; individuals like John Michael Talbot and Michael W. Smith are all high on my list. Since I've been going to a health club to exercise this seemed like a great way to Praise the Lord while working out. The music and videos at the club are not so uplifting. I took my daughter and husband with me to Best Buy and put down my gift cards for a shiny new blue Nano IPOD that even offered the ability to tune in to radio stations. WOW! That really sold me because I could also listen to WMBI and KLOVE, two of my favorite Christian radio stations. My daughter showed me how to access the I-tunes website that would help me download my CDs into my computer so I could then transfer them to my IPOD. I spent my entire Saturday and part of Sunday downloading music. I even discovered that I could download podcasts which are talk show segments. Another great aspect of the IPOD, I thought. I carried my IPOD proudly into the gym and plugged in while I jogged away. It was sweet and I felt my feet lifted up to some great music, my music.

After the workout I returned home and placed my IPOD into my other new gadget, a clock radio that would wake you up to your IPOD music. I was really going to get my money's worth from this gadget. I finally separated myself my IPOD for a some dinner time and when I returned I could not get it to work at all. It was totally dead, no sound, no menu, no nothing. I thought perhaps that I had shut it off accidentally, but no, I turned to the on button and the black hole with no music was still there. I immediately went to my computer and plugged it in, per the directions. A message popped up that said my IPOD was corrupted. Corrupted, yikes! It was made in China, not Chicago. What caused the corruption,? Was the IPOD out to thwart my desire to fill my mind with praises to the Lord? The IPOD wizard then informed me that my IPOD would have to be reformatted and I would loose all the music I had just spent an entire day downloading. That seemed very cruel and close to thievery. I mean, I spent an entire day and a half transferring tunes and I even purchased a couple from I-tunes. Does that mean that if I wanted those songs on the IPOD again I would have to pay another fee? "Oh well," I thought I've gone this far, why not keep going, so I left my IPOD plugged in overnight and went to bed with images of Nanos singing me softly to sleep.

The next morning I awoke before the alarm, eager to check on the progress of my little blue wonder. But no, nothing, instead there was a post mortem posted on the website, "An unknown error exists." Unknown error, unknown error? What does that mean? Now I was really upset. Since I am really trying to be techno savvy, I turned to Google and typed in "IPOD Corruption." I found that I was not alone in my grief and anger, others had been faced with corruption, some even multiple times. Many were also grieving the time lost downloading and re-downloading music. Some had taken the gadget back for a new one and others tried a technique recommended by a G.I. stationed in Iraq. The soldier said he was able to fix his IPOD by getting a small screw driver, taking it apart, shaking it and then putting it back together.

I felt backed into a corner I had to make a decision about my relationship with my IPOD. Would I opt for counseling (shaking it), separation (returning it for another one) or divorce (returning the IPOD and IPOD radio and getting my cash back)? My decision was rather quick, almost as quick as my decision to purchase it. No more Nanos for me, back to the good old CDs.

"Praise the Lord. For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and praise is becoming." Psalm 147:1

The Trees are Telling the Glory of God

Autumn Colors: crimson, orange, yellow-gold. All cast against a blue sky paired with a cool breeze and the whisper of falling leaves. I am blessed with a spectacular view from the windows in our town home. And the view never ceases to amaze me. It is like having a living painting in one's home. Now with the falling leaves, I can also see the the sun sparkling upon the river. More beauty, more wonder, more proof of God's love for me and all man & womankind.

When we were considering moving from our home in LaGrange to a townhome in Willow Springs, one of my prayers was that I would be able to enjoy a beautiful view.

Prior to moving, I enjoyed watching the seasons pass with a very large gingko tree that was perfectly positoned in the center of our yard. It became a dear friend to me as my life carried me to many different events: births, a growing family, new jobs and careers, graduations, illnesses, even a couple of extremly different types of dogs, etc. And my gingko tree was always there for each new phase of my life. I would love to watch the tree loose its leaves in the fall, usually all in a day, and the last to do so. The gingko leaves always looked like pieces of falling gold from the sky. Dancing in celebration of another wonderful year, soon to come to a close.
Unfortunately, the folks who bought our home did not have the same appreciation for this tree as I did and it was immediatley cut down in order to put up a massive garage. The trade off of cement for dancing gold just didn't seem fair.

But, God has so answered my prayer for scenic beauty, that I just have to praise and thank Him for this special kindness. The beauty of nature, endowed by the Creator can do so much for one's soul! Emptiness is gone. Melanchony gives way to wonder and the ordinary becomes the atypical with each leaf's variant color. Don't miss a moment of this outdoor concert of color and be sure to listen for the maestro's voice in it all. "The Heavens are telling the glory of God..."

Psalm 19:1