I’m in Toledo, Ohio, for a few days visiting with my grandparents for Thanksgiving. I’ve got such fond memories of being here for holidays and a few weeks each summer of my childhood. Driving through these neighborhoods brings back a rush of incredibly fun adventures we had here as kids.
I realize I’ve got many things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
I’m thankful for our church, Cross Point.
I’m thankful for the staff I get to serve with.
I’m thankful you continue to read this blog.
I’m thankful you engage in the ongoing conversation we have here.
I could go on and on….
However as I sit here in my grandparents house this morning I’m so very thankful for them. I realize how blessed I am to still have my Grandma and Grandpa Graham and my Grandpa Wilson still here with us (Grandma Wilson passed away a few years ago).
The older I get the more I understand what an incredible spiritual blessing it was, and is, to have grandparents who modeled faithful marital relationships, following Christ at all costs, and not being afraid of hard work. Being allowed to dip into those deep wells of wisdom and be shaped by those habits is simply priceless.
So this year I’ll cherish our time around the turkey, the late night games of rummikub, and their stories I’ve probably heard a few times but may not forever get to hear from their mouths.
Where are you and what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?
I only grew up with one grandmother my whole life, and thankfully she is still here at 92 years old…i am so gratful that she modeled a servant attitude as well as being the bonding glue that her family of 9 kids, and a huge amount of grandkids, and great grand kids together….nobody messes with nana unless they want to answer to the whole family, haha…thanks for sharing:)
92…wow!!
I am thankful for my job and my amazing new home church!
I am so thankful for family too. They are so easy to take for granted and often we don’t realize what we have until we don’t have it anymore.
I am thankful for my family as well!
I am thankful for my wonderful husband, 3 awesome boys, family and friends! Our great church and the church staff who go above and beyond the call of duty! We are so very blessed! Happy Thanksgiving Wilson Family! Kara – North Texas
i’m thankful for friends. specifically this on-line pastor i know.
i’m in medford oregon. and still…my cup truly overflows with blessing. i have a beautiful family. i have/choose laughter. i get to fellowship and worship freely. i get to pray for my mama’s salvation (who is getting closer and closer with each conversation) i get to rest in the assurance that God is God and i am not – that He gets to call the shots cause He knows better.
Well said Tam!
Cherish your time with your grandparents.
I lost my maternal grandfather and my paternal grandmother both within one month last year around this time. I still have my Nana here with us and cherish every minute with her. Very thankful to have seen both of my grandparents the weekend before they passed. God worked that out perfectly for me. Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m so thankful to be walking this year. Last year I was just starting the rehabbing.
Wow, what a blessing.
My Grandma died in 2007, but my Grandma on my moms side is healthy and enjoying life. I LOVE my grandparents. It’s so refreshing to spend time with them. Even with my papaw having cancer they’re so full of life. Makes me take a step back and realize all that I take for granted. My Great Grandma passed away in 2008. She just turned 99. Miss her soooo much!
I am thankful for faith, hope, and the cross. A year ago I was just starting to put my life back together after being turned away from Christ and the Church. This year I have learned what it is to be transformed, to be set free by truth, and to walk with courage because of faith in an amazing God who never fails. I am so thankful the He forgives, redeems, restores, and gives life especially to those who are broken and don’t deserve mercy but are in need of grace.
What a difference a year can make.
We are in the car headed to Louisiana. He was diagnoised with cancer in July. The cancer is responding well to the chemo! We are extremely thankful to spend the holidays with him!!
Thank God!!!
Staying in Maryland for Thanksgiving this year. I am very thankful for my family. I am grateful to watch my children grow, to have an amazing Husband to share my life with, Parents and grandparents that love me.
Happy Thanksgiving!!
I’m thankful to have a healthy spirit, a roof over my head filled with love, and food in my belly every day.
Very cool! I just did a post on this- http://bigb94.webs.com/apps/blog/entries/show/5410712-giving-thanks-to-god-!
Hi Pete– I’m thankful for your Christmas eve message many years ago– help me remember when?– on Isaiah 26:18– just posted about it—it’s still killing me! Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Give my love to Brandi and the boys!
Oh gosh Tracy. I’m going to have to go look that one up.
Hope your amazing family is having a wonderful Thanksgiving.
I am back in Wild, Wonderful WV…spending time with my family. I am thankful for them…and for my 8 nephews and nieces that will make my holiday that much sweeter.
S.
I’m thankful that God gives us desires in our heart that only He can fulfill and the fact that HE does give us the desires of our heart when we delight in Him. I’m thankful for the opportunity to attend college, something that a lot of people tend to take for granted. I’m thankful for how God has worked in my life during college to completely transform my life and my love for Him. I’m thankful that I HAVE a job right now, even though it’s not my dream job.
I am in TN tonight. I have much to be thankful for tonight. I also have much that weighs on me tonight.
Thankful, for this blog site. Someone above referred to you as their “on-line pastor”, I like that… Pete, I am thankful for your daily words of wisdom.
Thanks and I’m praying for you during this difficult time.
Happy Thanksgiving Pete! I am thankful to have you my Brother in Christ, tweet and facebook friend. God Bless everyone.
When I came home to spend a week with my parents and my little sister, I felt rejoiced when I walked into the doors. God has strengthened my heart and courage that made me tell them that two days earlier when I was at a Revival back at college, “I got saved by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.” I began to share them more of my stories and experiences I had after that night and I began to realize that I must be thankful for every love, every breath, and every teardrop that they had for me. I am thankful for the Lord for giving me two great parents who adopted me. I don’t know what kind of person I’d be if I wasn’t here today. My little sister (who also adopted) began to tell me “Jared, I am thankful for having you as my brother.” I am very thankful to have such a loving-caring family that I can talk to when I call for help and spend my life with.
I attend the University of West Alabama in Livingston, AL.
My freshman year, I didn’t know anybody at school. But I came across a Church on the 2nd Sunday when school began and I met a large group of College students. It took me about 3 weeks to know them all, but they became my brothers and sisters and I love them with all of my heart and soul. I could never be more thankful to have another large family at College that I can trust and talk to when I need help. During my first year, I also approached 10 other people (a group) at a Coffee House on-campus. They were having a discussion about the book of Jeremiah, and they asked me if I wanted to join, I said yes. About a week later, I have made more brothers and sisters. These people are my closest friends I could have ever asked for. One of them became my roommate (Rufus) and my Resident Assistant (Zachary). I am very thankful to have these brothers and sisters as blessings in my life. As it got into my 2nd semester, my college family tree increased with the people that I love. Today, it’s still increasing.
I thank God for being so Faithful to me. He has blessed me with a large family and 4 Churches and I am very thankful to be here today.
I’m spending this Thanksgiving in another context, as I am spending the morning being thankful for all that God has blessed me with by serving the homeless community in Knoxville a meal. I’m blessed with a family that understands that I feel led to be with those who aren’t as fortunate. We get other days together, but today it’s about being thankful for them while I spend time with God’s family He’s blessed me with too.
I am grateful for so much this year. I realize I am blessed with so much more than so many others.
I am thankful that after so many years astray that God saw fit to use members and staff of Cross Point Church to bring me back to Him and finally make me see what has been missing from my life. I am thankful that God still loves and wants me and is now guiding me to His purpose!
Happy Thanksgiving to all and to you, Pete, I pray that God continues to work through you in such powerful ways!
I’m grateful for many things but especially today for the way God made families. My children are mostly grown up so only home for visits these days and I love the way it feels to have my family all around one table.
Every fall I am reminded of God’s fabulous creativity…I’m so thankful for the changing seasons, especially the beauty and color that is fall.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
You are truly blessed, Pete! I grew up without grandparents and always missed having that connection. I am thankful that my nine year old daughter, though, has grandparents who live close by. It is a blessing for me to watch her love and be loved by these incredible people in her life.
I am thankful that Jesus is not only the BREAD of Life but the BREATH of Life. Our son is still here with us three years after the doctors said ‘medically speaking he should not still be alive’ because of his severe & untreatable sleep apnea. God has given Steve & I the gift of knowing He will watch Eric during the night so we can rest now in peace. Thanks you God for watching over us!
I’m thankful that I’m still serving the Lord, looking with hope to the future! We all go through so many things and it seems I know soooo many people struggling in many ways. But to be serving the Lord our God and our friend is something to be thankful for every day. Let this day inspire us to reach out to others who believe they don’t have anything to be thankful for and make a difference in their lives.
Blessings!
Jim
I am thankful for life and this wonderful world. I am thankful for the lessons I have learned from the diversity of people who are in my life from all faiths, backgrounds, races and nations. The most profound thing that someone has shared with me is that God is love. I am thankful that for every day that I have to wake up to learn more about that and how to live a life that reflects that.