Let's give thanks unto our Lord

[Ithaca Gunner]

Without the Lord, we have nothing, all things are through him, so we must rightly give thanks to him.

Now, for as long as I can remember, I've been a Conservative Independent Baptist. That's where mom dragged me every Sunday, a little Church with a slim congregation of less than twenty five. That didn't mean they gave us a cheap pastor though. Pastor Pelletier was a strong tall man with a head of firey red hair split down the middle that delivered a good attention getting sermon every Sunday. Nothing cheap about that. The wonder is, after many decades after I left that area and muddled through life to where I am now, I can still remember some of those sermons.

One Sunday just before Thanksgiving Pastor Pelletier spoke on giving thanks unto the Lord. Here's what struck me and stayed with me all these years, (paraphrased of course, my memory isn't that good). Without the Lord, we have nothing, all things are through him, so we must rightly give thanks to him! No matter where we are, no matter what we're doing, we need to stop and give thanks unto our Lord for what he has provided us! We need not make a scene in public, nor thump our chests to bring attention to ourselves, humbly lowering our heads in in reverence and whispering a few words of thanks to God is appropriate though. When I feed, or give cool, clean water to my dog, he will look to me as if giving thanks before eating, or drinking. Are we beneath a dog? If a dog will give thanks to us, we should give thanks to God for all things!


That's about the sermon in a walnut shell...and it pretty much covers why we, the people of this nation need to humble ourselves and give thanks unto our Lord. We've been given a day set aside for just that, Thanksgiving day. It's a day set aside to give thanks unto our Lord for all he's given us. Let's elevate ourselves above dogs and give thanks to our master.


Mr. Norman Rockwell made some great paintings, none touch me like this one. Here's my interpretation, A young Italian girl caught amid the fighting of WWII, her home lost, possibly her family. A "tough guy", an American 1st. Sgt. breaks the rules and gives the kid a warm coat and hot meal on his Thanksgiving Day, he might get chewed out, fined, and miss a meal, but he'll get another coat and probably scrape up a "C" Ration meal at worst and you know he gave thanks for that. True story? Probably not, but Rockwell had a way about him, and American G.I.'s were good will ambassadors to the kids of Italy, France, Holland, Belgium, England, and even Germany...when they weren't occupied fighting.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn179/krag1894/Wednesday-22_zpsvylotpok.jpg

Maybe these two young fellows don't understand.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn179/krag1894/nrt_zpszirpnanw.jpg

Let's give thanks unto our Lord every day.

[Boaz]

Thank you for your post . Your pastor did well since you remember what he taught long ago . I also wish every family here a great day of Thanksgiving for the blessings given .

[Preacher Jim]

May we all remember where everything we have comes from and thank the Lord for His blessings.

[Blackwater]

Great post, IG. And very humbling, too. Not one of us gives as much praise and thanks for what we have, to the degree we've been so richly blessed. And I love the story about the Rockwell, and you just know that's the most probable scenario for that painting.

Isn't it funny, how we so often aren't thankful, unless and until we have almost nothing left? When in trouble, we pray "God help us! Save us!" And when He does, we laugh and dance and many drink too much in celebration, but not many stop to pray and pay homage to the One who gave it all to us. That's why we have one special day set aside each year - to give thanks, officially and as a nation and a people, because we've forgotten to do that so often during the year. It's a day of remembrance, and a reminder of where all our blessings really come from. It's a shame more folks don't appreciate it for what it is, but we've let our children grow up, and few have been really told the whole story about this day, why it was established, what it recalls from our early days as a people and a nation, and what it all means, really.

Thank you Lord, for being so gentle and forgiving, and for blessing us SO richly - more richly than any people or nation has ever been blessed in this world ever before us. And thank you for forgiving us for not always thanking you when you are so generous with us and to us. May our nation now come to realize much more fully what tomorrow really and truly means, and Who it is who has blessed us so profusely.

Thou are the Great God of Heaven and Earth, and to thee belongs all we have, all we are, and all we've been so richly blessed with. Thank you. Thank you more than mere words can ever say. You have granted us a good leader, I believe, and we did little or nothing to deserve that. You have yet once again rescued us from our own wicked ways. Truly, we owe Thee all that we are, all that we have, and all that will ever be in our lives. We are humbled and chastened by your Grace and Love. Let us learn to remember whence it all comes, and honor Thee with all that we can, today, tonight and tomorrow, and every day for the coming year.

And above all, thank you for your son Jesus, who died on the cross for all our sins, and who tried so very hard to teach us thy will and how we should honor and remember Thee. Without Him, we couldn't even BE now. All glory and thanks to Thee, my Lord, now and forever. Amen.

[USMC87]

Thanks for the post and Amen.

[buckwheatpaul]

Ithaca Gunner, Great post and a great truth. Giving thanks to the Lord makes us realize that He has given us all. Your preacher really stepped on your toes if you remember it that many years ago. I give thanks to God, for my spouse, our family, our friends and our Cast Boolits Family. I pray for strength to endure and patients to help those that I lose patients with. Paul

[Ithaca Gunner]

I tell you, Paul. The part about the dog stuck with me all my life. I can still see that big man preachi'n!

[Bzcraig]

Thanks a bunch Gunner!

[Pine Baron]

Thank you Ithaca Gunner, great post.
Thank you, Paul, for the prayer. Amen.
Here's praying ALL have a blessed Thanksgiving Day.