March 10th 2016
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – I Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)
On Christmas Eve in 2000, we were hurrying around trying to set supper, open presents, and attend Christmas Eve Services at 7:00pm. My daughter, Julie, and I were going to sing in the cantata at church. While we were rushing around, we set the stove on fire. We managed to put the fire out, but what a mess. Supper was ruined, because we had to put chemicals on the fire to get it out. Julie took our grandchildren, Ashley and Thomas, to their other grandparents’ house to get them out of the smoke. I called the pastor to tell him, we wouldn’t be to the service. After the smoke cleared, Julie brought Ashley and Thomas back to the house. I told Julie that I had called the pastor and told him we wouldn’t be to the service. Ashley started to cry. I asked her what was wrong. She said, “Nana, we have to go to church and thank God for not letting our house burn down.” We did go to the service that night. We did thank God for not letting our house burn down. We also thanked Him for an eleven year old granddaughter, who knew what was important in life.
This Lenten Season let us give thanks to God for all things. Most of all, thanking Him for his son, Jesus, Who died on the cross for our sins so that someday we will be with Him in Heaven. What a wonderful day that will be!
– Elaine Black