Thanksgiving

Giving thanks - Thanksgiving, an American tradition celebrated by feasting on turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, and a variety of other dishes favored by individual families.  But the attitude of giving thanks is quickly deteriorating into an attitude of greed with shopping now becoming the focus.  When I was a girl, all stores were closed on Thanksgiving.  There was no such thing as Black Friday, and stores were not decorated for Christmas until after Thanksgiving.  There was no madness to get the best deals; there was no Cyber Monday, no on-line shopping.  Instead, there was anticipation in the search and joy in the finding of the right gift for each person on your list.  Giving was from the heart, not from the television ads that provoked desire for the newest gadgets and latest version of some electronic device that someone thinks they must have.
But I digress!  My husband and I celebrated a traditional Thanksgiving with people we had never met until they walked in the door - 3 students from China, now attending Duke University, and the mother of one of the young ladies.  Because our children were scattered to other states and other sides of the family, we were left to celebrate the day alone but decided instead to host internationals through a program in our church, iMix.  One of the young ladies attends our Chinese church, and she brought her mother and 2 friends.
Opening our home to strangers is biblical, and it was a most interesting event.  Foods which I prepare with no forethought became the subject of photo after photo, question after question, and multiple comments upon consumption.  Things ordinary to us were first events to our Chinese guests.  Language wasn't a problem as they, except the mother, spoke very good English. 
After our guests left and I finished cleaning all the pots and pans, I was exhausted but filled with a sense of joy that we were able to provide an opportunity to 4 Chinese people to experience an American Thanksgiving.  Yet I often wonder what they think of the madness they see on television to purchase gifts that can't be given for more than a month.  Black Friday has now spilled over into Thanksgiving Day, and within a few years I'm certain the sales will start the day before Thanksgiving and will run right through Thanksgiving.  Black Friday will be a thing of the past.
I make it a point NOT to shop on Friday.  I had to pick up my new eye glasses on Saturday and did that late in the afternoon and then picked up a few things at a chain retail store, and I found it amazingly quiet in the store.  Apparently all the madness and crazy shoppers had done their thing, and now the rest of us can shop in peace and quiet, not swallowed up by the insanity that has kicked off the Christmas shopping season.  And yes, it is Christmas, not holiday season.  God gave his greatest gift to the world, and that's why we have Christmas.  The truth will never change even though man's interpretation of it does.  God gave, we received.  Let's try to keep that in mind as we maneuver through the store aisles during the coming weeks. 

Creation

Being a woman, my mind is always going in a dozen different directions at once.  Thoughts flash through my mind, often escaping my grasp as I move on to the next one!  The brain is an incredible -- thing?  Instrument?  I mean, what should I call it?  Thinking about all the brain does is mind-boggling!  Right now I'm using a computer, typing on a keyboard and spelling words that your brain intreprets to mean something; my thoughts are organized by my brain, as are my ideas.  The brain interprets light that enters through our eyes so we can move about safely; the brain interprets language, creates ideas, processes thoughts, sends messages to different parts of our body for movement, interprets the fragrances and odors we smell, gives us the incredible sense of touch - basically all body functions are processed through the brain, and just thinking about the superb design and function of the brain humbles me. 
How can anyone possibly think that something as intricate and amazing as our brains came into existence by mere chance?  How?  How could chance - or millions of years - produce the brain?  Add to that the complexity of human emotions and you've multiplied the equation countless times.  How can chance create love, hate, rebellion, desire, sadness, grief, joy, fear, dread, anxiety, disappointment, hope, hopelessness, peace, patience, tenderness, goodness, kindness, exhiliration, revenge, laughter, sexuality, competition, envy, jealousy, and more?  Only God can create things that one cannot touch or see but which are as real as the nose on my face. 
The next time someone presents to you the preposterous idea that we came into existence by chance, think about these things.  In fact, think about them now so you'll know how to respond to those who choose the path of disbelief.  God is the creator of all things seen and unseen, both on earth and in the life hereafter.  I'm in awe of His creativity. 

Technology Overload

Some days, I'm inclined to toss the computer out the window and throw the cell phone in the ditch! Since when do we NEED everything that's out there to HAVE? Advances in technology have added costs to life, and I often wonder if all of them are needed. When I was a girl, TV was in its infancy; telephones were wired, had cords and a rotary dial. We didn't have microwaves, internet, or cable television. Life was simple. We played games, conversed, visited each other, and played outside winter and summer. Things are so different now. We must have cable or satellite television, computers, internet access, and cell phones, all creating a financial nightmare for those who think they must keep up with the Joneses.
Often, as I wait for a traffic signal to turn, I'll observe the people in the cars turning in the intersection. More often than not, more than half of them are talking on a cell phone as they drive. Office workers text on their phones while working at their desks; people walk in malls and on sidewalks and text or talk on their phones. Even in church, people are consumed by the little gadgets that we can hold in the palms of our hands. Television is another story. Three channels weren't enough, so one can now have a cable package that offers them hundreds of choices. How much television can one person watch? And how much of it is really worth our time? How much are we accomplishing for God's kingdom when we sit and allow images, often evil images, to flood our minds? Violence is now commonplace on television, as are homosexual lifestyles, and yet we sit on our comfortable sofas with remotes in hand and laugh at what break's God's heart. And we call it entertainment. Really? I wonder if God is entertained.
I see the fabric of our society eroding into a pit of sin, and we Christians seemingly have lost our voice. We sit idly by and often participate in and/or agree with the very things that God clearly calls sin.
Technology is a good thing, but Satan takes every good thing and uses it for his purposes. Technology is robbing us of fellowship, friendship, community, communication, relationship, and holiness. It brings pornography and all sorts of sexual sin into our homes at the click of the mouse. It steals our kids' innocence, and yes, even ours, and offers temptations which often can't be refused.
Maybe I should challenge everyone to put aside techie gadgets for one day a week -- no TV, no internet, no phone calls, no electronic notebooks or iPods -- and instead focus on family and friends. I think I know what the world would be like if we did that. I just don't know if anyone would be willing to take the challenge.

Reumion

Yesterday evening at 5:35 p.m. my sister from Florida arrived at our house, which was an hour and a half earlier than I expected her.  It was so good to see her!  It has been around 12 years since we've seen each other and we don't look the same, but our heart are still young.

Winnie left for Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, this morning when I left for work, and she arrived safely mid-afternoon.  Now I'm in the process of preparing for our drive tomorrow.  After an appointment with my eye doctor (I need new glasses), we'll follow my sister's path to our brother's home in Harper's Ferry.  I can't wait for our reunion.

Family is a funny thing.  When you're kids, you fight with your siblings like cats and dogs, but when you're grown up, you're best friends.  I know that's true in my life, and it's true in my kids' lives.  So for you parents out there praying that your kids won't kill each other, be assured that will pass.  They'll actually like each other in the coming years and will long for time spent together. 

God has been so good to my brother, sparing his house from damange and loss of power in Superstorm Sandy.  We're so excited about going to see him and his wife tomorrow.  I just hope I can sleep tonight!