by: Pocatello-Chubbuck Observer Columnist Barb Lissow
November 2, 2020
THE SEASON OF THANKSGIVING – BE THANKFUL FOR EVERY DAY
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Colossians 2:6-7
November is my birthday month – more years have passed than I like to admit. It is also the wonderful season of the Thanksgiving holiday, along with the sweet celebration of 54 years of marriage to my precious husband and best friend Alex. It seems like we were just newlyweds, then had babies running around the house in training pants, and now those babies are grown, married, and their babies are also grown, married and having babies. Where does the time go? Yet I am thankful for every one of those days gone by, and every one of the days left in my life, knowing they are gifts from my Heavenly Father.
This year has been especially blessed with a new family and adventure in serving God’s precious people! Zion Lutheran has extended a pastoral call to my husband. We are so very thankful to the congregation for their encouragement, their kindness, their sweet generosity, and their love! The Lord is good and blesses His children abundantly. (Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 106:1)
A recent commercial on TV shows a handsome, distinguished-looking man driving a stunning and shiny new car on a rainy day. The stereo is playing beautiful instrumental music in the background, and he is serenely enjoying his comfortable ride when out of an alley comes a huge garbage truck ready to completely disrupt and dismantle this calm moment. The next scene is this surprised and fearful gentleman’s life quickly flashing before his eyes when suddenly his new computer-operated vehicle senses an object within striking range, and sets off the instant braking system in time to avoid the devastating crash!! Yes, even though this was meant to be a new-car advertisement, it strongly brought the point home to me that every day is a gift from God.
What if… that gentleman had left his home with an unkind word said to his only child? What if… that gentleman’s wife had been mad or upset, and she failed to tell her husband that she loved him before he left home? What if… that gentleman’s brother, a dedicated and Christ-loving pastor, failed to share God’s saving grace with his sibling for fear of offending a beloved family member?
We, who live in America, have so many reasons to lift our praises in thanks to our awesome God even in these sad and worrisome times we all face – because every morning is a new day – we get to start over. We can make amends and say we are sorry; we can encourage and lift up those who are hurting, and we can give Jesus’ gift of love to one another. (Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy: The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. Psalm 28:6-7) Thank you, Jesus, for your gifts of love, mercy and grace!
Remember each day how much He loves you, and remember that each new day is a precious GIFT! Look up, and give all the thanks and praise to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
In His love,
Barb Lissow, Zion Lutheran Church, Burley, Idaho
