Dear Friends,
Happy Thanksgiving from our family to you and yours! We thank God for you.

In Scripture seldom is thanks made from one person to another without FIRST going through God for that person... For example 1 Cor 1:4 -"I thank my God always concerning you..." Phil 1:3 - "I thank my God in every remembrance of you..."


THE MEANING OF "THANKS."
The root word in Greek for thanks is "Chair" or "Char", which means "Joy." Thanksgiving is expressing joy for someone or something..."Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights..." - James 1:17


THANKING GOD THE SOURCE OF OUR JOY.
Col 3:15 - ".. BE thankful..."
Col 4:2 - " Devote yourselves to PRAYER and Keep ALERT in it with an ATTITUDE of thanksgiving."

We have much to Thank God for don't we. Consider thanking Him using what His Word reveals is true of Him....

Give Him thanks for His...
1. - -"...Holy Name" - Ps 97:12
2. - "...for He is GOOD." -Ps 106:1
3. - "...His LOVINGKINDNESS."- Ps 107:8
4. - "...for His WONDERS to the sons of men"- Ps 107:21
5. - "..For Thy TRUTH."
6. - "...who gives us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ." -1 Cor 15:57
7. - Deliverance from Sin - Rom 7:24
8. - " ...who ALWAYS LEADS US in TRIUMPH..."2 Cor 2:14
9. - For His Children "...we give thanks to God the Father ... for you."
10. - For Jesus Christ. "THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS INDESCRIBABLE GIFT!"


THANKSGIVING IS A CHOICE TO BE MADE.
Note the Psalmist makes a CHOICE to be Thankful - "I WILL..." Irrespective of circumstances or circumstances.

"I WILL Give thanks to The O Lord among the Peoples" - Psalm 108:3
"I WILL give thanks to the Lord with ALL my Heart."- Psalm 9:1


THANKSGIVING IS THE WILL OF GOD FOR YOU AND ME.
1 Thess 5:18 "...in EVERYTHING Give thanks; For THIS IS God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

So specifically come before Him...
Ps 95:2 - "Come before His presence with Thanksgiving."
Ps 69:30 - "...MAGNIFY Him with thanksgiving."
Ps 50:14 - "....Offer to God a SACRIFICE of thanksgiving."
Ps 100:2 - "Enter His Gates with thanks giving."
Ps147:7 - "SING to the Lord with thanksgiving."
Rev 7:12 - "....thanksgiving.....to our God forever and ever, Amen."
Col 3:16 - "SINGING with thankfulness in your hearts TO God."- Col 3:16


OUR FAMILY TRADITION
We have started a Tradition in our family that we began with our children last year, Lord willing we will continue this year. Each member of the family has to Tell three things which he or she is Thankful for concerning each
member in the Family and then, when for Example Noah our 7 year old says the three things he is thankful for Specifically in Mary his 9 year old sisters life, then He prays for her as does everyone else and so we go through each member and it can be humbling and a time of verbally expressing and edifying one another. So often we THINK the other person Knows what we are thankful for and appreciate in their lives but unless we verbalize it and reinforce it with our words and prayers which they sit and listen to how will they know. It is the Highlight of the day for me.....

So on behalf of Cindee, Mary, John-Keith, Noah, Evan and Isaiah and those involved with Reconciliation Ministries... I thank God for you and your love to us, prayers, identification, notes of encouragement, questions and for standing with us in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. As I send this to each one of you I have prayed and thanked God specifically for you....

Evan's Heart?
In Closing, while trying to get THREE YEAR old Evan's shoes on last Sunday for church he said "Daddy, Why did Jesus give me a heart?"..... I listened and replied "so you can Love Him with all of your Heart."

May this day be a day when each one of us chooses to love Him with all of our Heart [John 14:21] and Express thanks To Him who has given us new hearts to make it possible.

Not only are We Commanded to give Thanks- we of all people, in light of what He has done with our past at CALVARY and has done for our Future and who Presently are recipients of His Help, Mercy, Grace and goodness ...surely we of all people should be Thankful...

"Count your many blessings name them one by one ...see what God has done..."

With great love and affection for you all...
In His Love
Aidan