Thanksgiving Archives - The Ultimate Gift

November 23, 2022November 23, 2022

Stuck

“How are you doing?” It’s not a question we care to answer honestly with just anyone, so the answer is often short and sweet. I do hope you have someone in your life with whom you can discuss the topic on a deeper level. After all, we were made for community. Are you feeling stuck in your circumstances by any chance? If so, keep reading. There’s a remedy for that!

Grief Journey

My dad passed away nearly 8 months ago. It’s been a REALLY busy 8 months, possibly on purpose, but not necessarily. Some days feel like a struggle to stay afloat. I didn’t really have time to work through my grief or even give much thought to it. So, in response to a nudge from the Holy Spirit, I signed up for something else to do! I signed up for GriefShare through my church. It wasn’t because I needed something else to do, but rather, it was because I needed to do something else—address my grief. It was my way of forcing myself to sit still long enough to face my grief and work through it. The bonus, I think, has been going on this journey with a group of women that I didn’t even know beforehand. We’ve come to enjoy spending our Monday evenings together.

The title of last week’s lesson was “Stuck” and I’m sure we’ve all been there at one time or another. Maybe you’re there right now. I don’t know the current circumstances of your life, but I have a feeling you are facing some challenges. After all, Jesus assured us that we WILL have trouble in this world (John 16:33). Trouble comes in all shapes and sizes—a troubling diagnosis, a pink slip, a broken relationship, financial strife, the death of a loved one, etc. Sometimes the trouble is so overwhelming that we become paralyzed by it, unable to move. We get stuck!

The Solution

If you find yourself stuck right now, I have the perfect antidote—gratitude. It’s a popular topic this week as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving. Do you have an attitude of gratitude? We learned in GriefShare that gratitude is a healer. By placing our focus on the good, the difficulties we are experiencing lose their potency. Look around—search for beauty and blessings. They are there! Let’s not allow our feelings to boss us around. Instead, let’s stand firm in the truth.

The Reason—Jesus

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT

As followers of Christ, we ALWAYS have reason to be thankful. Jesus saved us from our sins by dying on a cross. That’s how much He loves us. And three days later the tomb was empty—He defeated death! Through faith in Jesus, we have the promise of spending eternity with Him.

We can trust Him with our trouble and be thankful in the midst of it. No matter the difficulty, we can find comfort in knowing that God is with us and will bring goodness and love into the situation.

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.”

Psalms 23:6a NIV

For that, I am thankful! Clothe yourself with an attitude of gratitude as you gather round the table to celebrate Thanksgiving. It’ll look good on you. So good that you may never want to take it off!

Wishing you and yours a blessed Thanksgiving!

The outcome of an attitude of gratitude.

November 18, 2021November 18, 2021

Gathering

Though I absolutely love Christmas music, I restrain myself from breaking it out before Thanksgiving. When I give any thought to music at Thanksgiving, my mind immediately goes to the hymn, “We Gather Together.” Well, that, and “Over the River and Through the Woods!”

Thanksgiving Gatherings

As we close in on Thanksgiving 2021, I am mindful of the fact that, for many, Thanksgiving is going to look a bit different this year. Some families have joyously added on in 2021. Others have subtracted. For some, gathering together this Thanksgiving won’t even be an option. And some will be gathering in a completely different location.

Guest List

I don’t know how your Thanksgiving gathering is shaping up this year, but I do know someone who will be delighted to join you, regardless of the setting or time. It doesn’t even matter if the weather cooperates because there is no commute involved! As believers, we have access to God 24/7 through the Holy Spirit living inside us, all thanks to Jesus. Isn’t that a beautiful thing?

Personality Traits

In a sermon series recently concluded by my pastor, we took a deep dive into the character of God. It was based on the following verse:

“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,” Exodus 34:6b NIV

By the end of the series, we had the 5 characteristics from this verse memorized.

God is…

Compassionate
Gracious
Slow to Anger
Loyal in Love
Faithful

He’s all that…and in just one verse! Who of us doesn’t need that reminder when life is throwing curveballs our way? If you are old enough to read this, I imagine you’ve already learned that things don’t always go as planned or expected. Are you still waiting on an answer to prayer? Have your hopes been dashed? Your dreams shattered?

The Real King

My small group recently finished watching and discussing a 5-part sermon series by Andy Stanley titled “David”. If you recall, David was known as a man after God’s own heart. In spite of that, David was still a flawed man. He learned some tough lessons throughout his lifetime, but, in his messages, Andy Stanley kept stressing that David never lost his confidence in God. In spite of his position as king of Israel, David never confused himself with THE King. That King is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, loyal in love and faithful for starters. Our hope isn’t found in fulfilled dreams or answers to prayers, but rather, in the character of God.

“He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8b CEV

Circumstances change, God does not. He is our Rock, a refuge in times of trouble. In the words of David,

“In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. My hope is in you ALL day long.” Psalms 25:1,5 NIV

Though your Thanksgiving celebration may look a bit different this year, the MVP has already RSVP’d. He’ll be there!

Enjoy your gathering, no matter the size or shape…Happy Thanksgiving!

May 3, 2018

The Journey

On Sunday we will celebrate another big milestone in our daughter’s journey through life. These occasions always cause me to be reflective and highly emotional. As part of my therapy, I had determined to share part of that journey with you through my writing. I found that was easier said than done yesterday. I didn’t know where to start and where to stop. After many hours and countless words, I scrapped the whole thing and went to bed late last night. The truth is, I cannot condense what we’ve been through with Hillary in her 21+ years to a blog post. It deserves a book! Maybe someday….

For those unfamiliar with her story, Hillary Jayne is our miracle baby. You’ll have to wait for the book to fill in the gaps, but I’ll paint the big picture now. She was diagnosed with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) in the womb. The hole in the left side of her diaphragm allowed her abdominal organs to come up into her chest cavity and take up the space where her left lung was to be developing. She was given a 50% chance of surviving IF she was born in the right place at the right time. By the grace of God, she was. She came out fighting and has been fighting ever since! Hillary had her hernia repair surgery when she was 6 days old and spent the first 88 days of her life in intensive care at Allegheny General Hospital. I remember the neonatologist describing Hillary’s hospital stay as a series of three steps forward and two steps backwards. That’s a net gain of one, right? We’ll take it! Even with the medical advances today, 50% of babies born with CDH do not survive.

CDH isn’t just a hernia. The 50% that do survive live with the threat of complications of it for the rest of their lives, including the very real possibility of reherniation. So, as they say at CHERUBS, the CDH Support Group, “Just because the hole is fixed, doesn’t mean the battle is over.” For instance, Hillary recently spent a whole year on three high-powered antibiotics to rid her good lung of a serious mycobacterial infection that was indirectly related to her CDH. It hasn’t been smooth sailing for Hillary. Far from it! I guess that’s what makes each milestone that much sweeter!

I believe God has lessons for us in each of our life experiences. Nothing comes to us without a purpose. Without question, Hillary’s story is the experience that has had the greatest impact on my life. I look at life differently now because I realize just how precious it is. Each day is a gift from God, not to be taken for granted. In the words of Jesus:

I have come so they can have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way.”

John 10:10b NIRV

Jesus went to the greatest of lengths to give us life. It would behoove us to make the most of it. Let’s not squander today, for tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Live life….enjoy it…celebrate it…and give God thanks for it!

On Sunday we will celebrate the college graduation of our precious daughter. This milestone, like every other one before it, will be magnified times one hundred because of the journey that brought her here. I couldn’t be more proud. She has overcome so much adversity in her 21+ years and has excelled in spite of it all. Or perhaps BECAUSE of it all. When they call Hillary Jayne Leipold on Sunday and she crosses the stage with numerous cords and medallions draped around her neck to collect her diploma, her devoted fan base will be there leading the cheering. That is, all except her mother who will be too choked up to muster a WooHoo!

March 21, 2016

Divided Attention

Those of you who know me well, know how much I love my sports. We are currently in the thick of March Madness, the nickname given to the season-ending college basketball tournament. Last night I found myself trying to watch three different basketball games and a hockey game all while watching a movie. I generally don’t touch the remote at my house, but my thumbs sure got a workout last night. I did happen to catch two goals in the hockey game. But I missed four. I saw a game-winning last second shot in one of the basketball games. But I missed a historic comeback in the last minute of another. Though I got the gist of it, it’s hard to tell how much of the movie I missed while trying to keep track of the games. My lack of focus on any one thing was somewhat comical at the time, but then God pointed out the painful truth of the matter this morning during my quiet time.

The truth is that my attention is divided in much more important matters than what’s showing on TV. Jesus promises that we WILL have trouble in this world. Some of us currently have more than others, but none of us are immune to it. As Pastor Chris often reminds us, “Everybody’s dealing with something.” If you’re like me and your attention frequently gets diverted to your trouble, you’ll soon find yourself drowning. That’s what happened to Peter when Jesus invited him to walk on water…

“Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.” Matthew 14:29-30 NLT

The key to staying afloat in this troublesome world is to fix your eyes on Jesus, giving Him your undivided attention. His power is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

During this Holy Week, Christians generally have a heightened awareness of just how much Jesus suffered on our behalf. He made the ultimate sacrifice when He gave His very life for ours. If He can do that, then surely we can endure whatever obstacles await us in our own races. Whatever troubles you are facing, I pray you will just keep putting one foot in front of the other. By not giving up, you’ll reach the finish line and taste victory at just the right time. And it’ll be sweeter than the candy in the Easter basket! Victory is ours because Jesus defeated death. That’s cause for celebration—

(When the movie ended last night, they announced that there would be an encore presentation of the movie airing on its sister channel next week. After all that…ugh!)