Thanksgiving

This week has been uniquely special. The love of Jesus has directed our activities. We had a family dinner one evening with everyone and spent time together at Mom's apartment talking and comforting each other.

We were able to meet and renew relationships with many family members all because Mom passed away. Her memorial service had the exact songs, solos, and speakers she had asked for, and the chapel was filled to capacity with friends and family. Almost all of the about 25 the grandchildren and the 7 great grandchildren were there.

During the week we were graciously cared for at Marnie's place. While Bob spent time with his brothers, she and I dozed by the woodstove. Meanwhile Peter was thrilled to accompanied Ed to one of his hockey games and acted as his accomplice/helper during a Mad Scientist presentation at a school in the county.

We were unable to connect with our three in Africa, and they still don't know about Grandma, nor are they aware as far as i know that we came north. Internet and cell phone connections have not been very succesful. That's ok; we have just trusted the Lord and will by his grace converge on Jackson airport tomorrow. Today they are in Paris for several hours.

When we headed over to the Detroit area, we spent a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with our children (wow, can those girls cook!) and hours of fun with grandbabies. Peter got his fill of being the big uncle and the only son. Ahh, God certainly planned this out well.

One afternoon before we drove across the border, I was privileged to pray with the Windsor evangelistic team at their new storefront location, and then accompany them out to the streets. It was interesting to compare notes with what God is initiating in our downtown back in Mississippi.

We were sent out in pairs to look for those who God showed us. Funny how just recently God had highlighted an old book on my bookcase, "Finding Men for Christ." It had been given to me by my mom, inscribed in her shaky handwriting before she passed away. How did she know I would be out finding men for Christ and would be inspired by her book?

Our team encountered about a dozen people one at a time: a Somalian woman and baby who received prayer, another a young Moslem guy who quietly talked with us and then took some biblical literature and a Gospel of John; a Buddist monk who, smiling, paused in his painting of the new temple gate to chat with us. He also now has some tracts and two gospels of John, one to share with his superior.

One 15 year old girl at the bus stop felt that 'life sucks,' because her mother, auntie and grandmother had died recently, but she listened to our message of hope in Jesus. Another 16 year old held my hand tightly as we prayed for her.

There are so many people just going through life, not knowing that they were created for a specific purpose - to serve God and not themselves. That to enter God's presence when they die requires more than merely keeping some of the Ten Commandments some of the time.

So many DO NOT realize that they must trust in Jesus' blood sacrifice as an atonement for their sins or they will go to hell.

But then, that is why we were out there. A good reason for Thanksgiving.