Help Me: A Thanksgiving Prayer

Thanksgiving (and my husband's birthday) is a mere six days away. As I entered into this month of Thanksgiving, and especially as I prepare for the culmination through next week, I can't shake the conviction that my life was meant for more than what I offer up.

I cannot read my Bible, attend church services, and send up the occasional prayer and be comfortable that this is all God asks of me. Because in reading, listening, and praying it is glaringly obvious that I am called to be the hands and feet of Christ and I am not doing it. And, today at least, I am very frustrated and feel very alone in my conviction that the Body of Christ has grown disgustingly complacent. How timely our President/CEO sent out his weekly update today with this simple prayer that cuts straight to the heart of my inner struggle.

O God, when I have food,

help me to remember the hungry;

When I have work,

help me to remember the jobless;

When I have a home,

help me to remember those who have no home at all;

When I am without pain,

help me to remember those who suffer,

And remembering,

help me to destroy my complacency;

bestir my compassion,

and be concerned enough to help;

By word and deed,

those who cry out for what we take for granted.

Amen.

-Samuel F. Pugh

Thankful Thursday: Eggnog

Dear Eggnog,

Thank you for only appearing for three months out of the year. I think I might get sick of you if you were more available. It seems blasphemous to say that, but it's probably true. Your absence for most of the year makes it justifiable to be a bit gluttonous while you're present.

And when did you get so dynamic? I used to just drink you cold in a class. Now I can mix you with my other love - chai - or coffee, or eat you in the form of icecream. Way to keep with the times, Eggnog.

We're going to have a beautiful three months together.

Much love,
Nike

Goodbye, Christmas

Christmas is my favorite time of year. I love the spirit. I love the snow (which unfortunately causes much chaos in the Portland Metro area). I love trees, ornaments, presents, and eggnog. Today I went snowshoeing with some of the Monday Night Posse crew and was informed the holidays were over. This makes me a little sad. So here is my quick tribute to the 2009 Thanksgiving and Christmas season, as due to unforseen circumstances, I don't have pictures of the 1st Snowshoe Hike of the season. Oops.

Cook/Henshaw Cousins with Children & Significant Others
Thanksgiving, Santa Rosa, CA

Thanksgiving Revisited
December 4, 2009 - Bentley Chateau

Claire just might be the original Grinch, "Yay. I haz moovees."

Bentleys, Christmas 2009
(Not Jason's favorite Christmas idea. I love it, though.)

Santa visits the California Bentleys. Not the most flattering pictures, but my sweater did win the Ugly Sweater Contest. The picture does not do justice to its ugliness.

Yeah, it was a pretty good season.

On the First Day of Christmas...

If you've known me for five minutes, you know that I love Christmas. Like, am crazy in love with it. Today is Thanksgiving Revisited, which is an annual "family" tradition I forced my now-husband and a couple friends to participate in a few years ago, because our real Thanksgiving dinner lacked cranberry sauce and candied yams. The obvious way to remedy that was to recreate Thanksgiving dinner. (Duh.) Now it is something we look forward to every year.

Ironically, this year Thanksgiving Revisited falls on the 12th day before Christmas, which got me to thinking, "Why don't I write a daily post about Christmassy things?" It's a wonderful way to help me focus on the season. Today, while listening to Amy Grant's, "Grown Up Christmas List," one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs I started wondering what things are on my grown up Christmas List. Below are my thoughts.

Nike's Grown-Up Christmas List:

1. That Good will prevail in every situation.
2. That every soldier will know he/she is loved and appreciated.
3. That we will reach out to help the hurting and lost instead of turning a blind eye.
4. That people will find contentment with family and friends over material goods.
5. That there will be an end to the in-fighting in our churches, our communities, and our world. We all want that same thing, we just suck at communicating that.

There are other things I would like to put on that list, but to name them would mean I would have to change my actions and attitudes. Even at Christmas, somethings are difficult to change. I think this list is a pretty good start, though.

Merry Christmas all!