The Happiest of Thanksgivings!

Thanksgiving. It's a pretty simple word with lots of meanings. During November it generally refers to the holiday that falls on the fourth Thursday of the month, and it's a holiday that many look forward to for the copious amounts of food that are consumed, the chance to reunite with fam and friends, and the enjoyment of football! But that is only in the US. Did you know that in Canada, Thanksgiving is in the beginning of October? And in Mexico there is no Thanksgiving holiday AT ALL!! ...

Until now...

On this eve of the U.S. Thanksgiving, I would like to give my own thanks to the Lord for a great evening and great reminders. Tonight, we instituted our first ever church Thanksgiving festivity here in Mexico. This time it was only with the Arrayanes church, but we are planning on doing it with all the churches together next year and every year thereafter! We made two big turkeys and a ham and flan, and the folks in Arrayanes brought beans and hand-made tortillas, candied squash, and lemonade and jamaica juice. We ate dinner in the palapa outside the church (like a pavilion), and enjoyed the fellowship time. Then we all proceeded into the sanctuary where we worshiped a little and listened to Jay share about loving each other truly and encourage the body basically not to forsake meeting together as they have gotten into the habbit of doing. Church attendance in Arrayanes is down to less than half right now, which is quite discouraging sometimes. SO, it was amazing to see the church FULL tonight! Even Sandy and Mili's dad came, which is a true miracle in and of itself!! After Jay shared and encouraged, Dave shared a little, and then Jay showed a video he made. It's really a conglomeration of testimony videos he shot about 2 years ago as well as still photos from when they first built the church building about 5 years ago and the first official church meeting before there were even walls or a floor.

It was so incredible to hear their testimonies from their own mouths from 2 YEARS AGO!! When i didn't even know them! And to be able to hear them then and see them now and all that the Lord has done in the church since then, growing it and maturing it in size and in life, it's just mind-blowing! I felt so priveledged to be able to sit there and remember with them the story that God has been crafting amongst them. It was so neat to see their faces and the joy in their eyes after watching the video and sharing things that they are thankful for, to see in their eyes the remembering taking place. What a precious thing to see that moment happen, when the remembering takes over and the forgetting flies away...the encouragement that fills the soul...that was VISIBLE tonight to the human eye and it was indescribable. I came home full of joy and just overwhelmed at the incredible life and goodness that we can freely partake of in our God and yet, more often than not, choose to ignore, or not truly appreciate.

I've been sick this week...digestive track junk, and it's PAINFUL (you can be in prayer for this please)....but I came home tonight and found myself saying, "Lord, it doesn't matter. The pain and discomfort don't matter in light of your goodness. It is a small thing to suffer through if it means being able to partake of You and Your kingdom and Your work, to know You this way."

So, this Thanksgiving I'd like to offer a challenge. We are SO BLESSED, we United States-ians, especially those of us who know the Savior, Jesus Christ, personally! We have so much to be thankful for and yet we complain and gripe about so much too. Why? Tomorrow as you're eating your turkey and loving on your wonderful family and watching that American football, take time to soak up every moment and allow yourself to look around and REMEMBER where you were before you knew HIM, and where you are now, and all that He has brought you through to get you HERE and NOW. And worship Him for it. That is the heart of Thanksgiving.