Well, stuff of course! School, Friends, Computer, Writing, Reading, ect.
Well, this week's been a bit different!
1. Welcome to new member of YCF! Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to Lauren Ann. Her blog link is on "People To See, Places To Go."
2. Remember my post about my interesting horse experience? If not, scroll down on the page to my archive of posts. Click on September and a list of posts I did in that month should show up. The post is entitled "A Ride of a Lifetime-God is our Protector" It's all about a "fun" (Haha!) horse ride at a church picnic that my little sister and I had. Well, the owner of the horse offered to teach me the proper way of riding (Because going all crazy about horses and acting like a dude, a crazy, inexperienced horse rider wannabe, is obviously not encouraged in the equestrian world) So in about two weeks I'm going to go on over to his ranch place and learn how to ride horses. Probably starting with tacking (saddling up) the horse and some.....other stuff (ya'll horselovers know what I mean ;D) I'm so very excited! Well, not about that, but you know what I mean.
3. I entered a short comedic story contest in this magazine that I used to, and my sister does now suscribe to. The contest was to submit a funny video or story, fiction or nonfiction. It took quite a while to get the results, but they came yesterday. I got an honorable mention. What I found interesting was that all of the winners were people who did videos. Hmmmmm....
*laughs* Just kidding. I had a lot of fun writing the story. Maybe one of these days I'll post it on here?
4. My book, The Chosen, is starting to draw to a close and I'm picking up all the stray threads and watching in amazement as they weave together. 89,454 words. 213 pages. It's been as if I've been on the journey with my characters, and I know many more adventures are to come. Maybe I'll try to find a publisher, hopefully who will be willing to see past the story plot holes and grammatical errors into the heart of it.
5. I have a new favorite song! It's a powerful song by Steven Curtis Chapman entitled "Magnificent Obsession." It's not a new song, but it's new to me and I love it. You can find it on my playlist
6. Thanksgiving is this Thursday! Awesomeful!
It all began with a group of adventurers and people after God's heart who sailed to the New World to inhabit a land of spiritual freedom. After a harsh first winter, the Pilgrims (who these travelers were called) befriended the local Indians including Squanto, an English speaking Indian, who taught them how to work the land. Soon, their colony, Plymouth, was flourishing. In thanksgiving to God the Pilgrims set aside a three day celebration and feast on December 13, 1621.
I can imagine the wonderful time they had with their new friends in the new land and celebrating what God had done for them. Guys, you'd be helping your father build a cabin for your family, hunting, fishing, and planting! Girls, we'd be planting corn, cooking food along, sewing clothing, and making things to make our home comfortable. What I find interesting is that the Pilgrims did not dress in the stiff black and white clothing that they are portrayed in. In fact, they often wore bright or colorful clothing! Isn't that a relief, gals? All of us would probably be getting used to the new and foreign food such as corn and squash.
Later in 1789, George Washington declared the first day of thanksgiving. It was the first Thursday of November and was celebrated by states and not as a national holiday. But how did that change to the day we celebrate now?
Mrs. Sarah Joseph Hale. She was a woman who promoted the annual, national Thanksgiving Day which we celebrate now. For over thirty years, she presented her idea to the passing presidents. Somehow her voice wasn't heard, until President Abraham Lincoln came along. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln set aside the last Thursday of November as Thanksgiving day, which we celebrate today.
Something that disheartens me is the TV ads and newspaper commercials that I see. The words "Turkey Day!" scream up at me in large, orange letters. Turkey Day? The day of the turkey, a bird? Whatever happened to being thankful for what we have?
You see, in our modern American culture we've strayed from being satisfied from what we have. Rather, we dwell on what we want, claiming that it's what we "need".
We need that new outfit
We need that latest electronic device
We need the latest fads
Do we really? I can't help but think of my parent's words when I grumbled about brussel sprouts and broccoli as a small child (or brat, as they might say :D).
"There are some people out there who are starving and dying, and you can't be content with what we have?"
It's hard to do, but truly being thankful is being content with what God gives to us.
Don't have that new iPod or computer?
Don't have that cute dress or the flashy purse?
You may consider your family poor. You may envy those around you as they show off their new car or expensive clothing.
But look around you. You have a home, a family who loves you, freedom to worship God, American conveniences as simple as air conditioning, and you have a Savior who loves you.
There are people in third world countries who don't have that latest thing. They don't even have food, clothes, a family, or a home to call their own.
I've seen it with my own eyes, and it's not pretty. On a trip to India to visit family we were going around, seeing the sites and enjoying the company of relatives. Yielding for a stoplight, I see a girl in ragged clothes come to the window of my family members' car. She looks at me and holds out her hand. Looking to my relatives, I see that they look ahead chatting about their day and maybe even purposely ignoring the girl. I stare back at the girl my age, heartbroken for I have no money to give to her. Our car slowly pulls away because of the green light. She says some words that I cannot understand, but her face says it all. Pain. Hunger. Sadness.
The realization hits me like cold water.
Wow. She doesn't have anything.
I was only about ten years old then, but the image of that girl is seared into my mind. And I thank God for that girl who walked up to the window. Because of her, I try to keep myself in check when I'm about to complain. Because of her, I have a burning compassion for those less privileged than me. Because of that girl, I have a burden for orphaned children which will most likely stay with me for the rest of my life.
So as you sit around the table this Thursday enjoying turkey and masked potatoes, keep in mind those around the world who don't have everything we do. Thank God for how privileged we truly are.
God Bless,
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