Thanksgiving

I think a few pictures of my first attempt at cooking Thanksgiving dinner are a must.  After all, for my family, you have to see it to believe it!

potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots all bubbling away.

Gasp!  Hope at the hob

the table set

the feast 

Hope and Laura, ready to tuck in

As you can imagine, we had loads of leftovers.  I may be learning to cook, but I still need to learn portions!   I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving meals with your families!

From Whom All Blessings Flow.

I spoke last Tuesday at my house group on Thankfulness.  I've just finished reading a fantastic book called One Thousand Gifts.  Between the book, my thoughts for house group, the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I've been amazed at how many ways I overlook the blessings in my life.

I had an eye appointment two weeks ago and found out my vision has gotten worse.  I needed new glasses/contacts.  I chose to get new glasses, and I've been getting used to them.  The other morning, I was getting ready and I was getting annoyed by my vision (I had yet to put my glasses on).   And then I realized how ungrateful I can be.  I have glasses to put on.  I didn't have to even think twice about getting glasses.  To me, they count as a necessity and yet for so many in the world, they would be a luxury.

I've been struggling with more headaches lately than I would like.  The other night, my neck and back were aching, as a side effect of the headaches.  As I was boiling the kettle to fill my hot water bottle (it feels so good to lay my head on when it hurts), I realized once again how spoiled I am.  I have medicine.  It may not work as well as I'd like, but it at least alleviates the pain.  I have running water and electricity, and enough of both to boil water for a hot water bottle.

The soles of my favorite boots are worn thin.  I can almost put my finger through the sole.  I've worn them nearly daily over two autumns and winers of walking miles around London.  But I'm looking around for a place to resole them.  And in the meantime, I have a second pair of boots.  And Wellington boots.  And fleecy winter boots.  There are probably more people than I realize, even just in this city, who cannot say the same.

My heart is breaking for Zimbabwe, for so many faces.  Some I've met and many I've not.  This morning I actually thought through what I wanted to eat for breakfast.  You see, I have choices of what I want to eat.  And some mornings, I even make the choice not to eat, just because nothing seems appealing.  What's more, I cannot imagine not having that choice.  I've never lacked in provision.

Tears run down my cheeks when I think of how many blessings I do have.   Lord, forgive me when I overlook them.

The London days are growing short.  Tonight at house group we were commenting how at 4:00pm, it's dark.  The weather is damp and cold.  But I'll be sleeping in a warm bed, in warm pjs.  A friend from house group even drove me home, so I wouldn't have to stand and wait for a bus at night.  Her generosity got me home in 5 minutes rather than 20.

It doesn't seem fair that I have it so good.  Nothing I've done has "earned" this.  Yes, I work and earn my wage, which some might say "entitles" me to housing and food, but I don't think so.  I haven't "earned" the right to clean water, heating, or someone to see me safely home at night.  I want everyone to have this, but I'm not sure how to make it happen.  The answer is probably "one at a time," but I wish it could happen faster!  I just pray that I can see the ways that I can help bring some of these things to pass in the opportunities God gives.

Tonight, I got distracted during our house group.  As the discussion went on around me, I kept coming back to Ephesians 3:17.  (It wasn't even the passage we were discussing!)  It says, "Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong."  What a picture.  It brings to mind Psalm 1:3 "They are like trees planted along a riverbank, bearing fruit each season."  Being rooted in love and bearing fruit to help others.  I want those deep roots.

Old Fashioned Courtesy on the Tube

My commute across London to our office takes an hour on the train.  It does allow me plenty of time to read, but some days, I just don't want to do it.  Thankfully, we will soon be moving into a new office space, which is a 25 minute WALK from my house!  I can't wait to no longer need these long journeys on my office days.

This morning, as my train arrived at the first stop after I got on, I sighed.  The platform was full of children.  A school trip.  Wonderful.  I was really hoping that they weren't going to be on the train for very long.  I did feel for the teachers and parents.  I can't imagine being responsible for ten children and getting on and off of the tube, trying to make sure no one was left behind.  As soon as each little group of ten got on and the doors closed, you could see the adults looking around and counting heads.  Going on the tube is such a treat for these children.  It's really sweet, unless I'm still tired, haven't had coffee, and would really rather be in bed still.  :)

The kids all dashed for the few remaining seats.  The one teacher, an English man probably about 40, walked over to the section near me, and spoke to one of the boys.  "Sammy, it may be old fashioned of me, but I believe you shouldn't sit when a lady is standing, and your mum is standing.  Could you please stand and offer her your seat?"  Dutifully, Sammy stood up and when his mom declined, he offered it to one of the other girls in his class.  After she also said no, he looked to his teacher.  "Ok, thank you, Sammy.  You can go ahead and sit down if they don't want to."

I couldn't help but wonder how the adult men in my section of the train felt.

The general guideline of the London tubes is: "No one else exists in my little bubble."  Because of that, I'm always really appreciative when a man stands to offer an older lady his seat.  But I'm also saddened by how infrequent that can be!  I try to make it a point of courtesy, rather than gender, and offer my seat if there is a small child or a person significantly older than me.  I love that it creates a chain reaction.  Inevitably, when I've done that, if a seat opens up and there is a man standing near me, he generally offers me the chance to sit rather than taking it himself.

One night, I was going home on the train and it was a long day.  I was succumbing to the (again, London learned) habit of studiously ignoring the crowd around me and appreciating the fact that I had a seat.  However, I happened to glance down at my bag, resting at my feet.  To my chagrin, the woman standing next to my seat had a walking cast on her foot!  I looked up at her and asked, "Would you like my seat?"  She looked thrilled (well, as much as the English express delight!...I'm being cheeky today!)  and responded, "If you don't mind."  I hopped up and maneuvered through the crush of people so that she could then sit in my seat.

The interaction, though it was a few weeks ago now, has been a good reminder me for me to be eager to do good.  Not just to do good, but to be eager to do good!  I went back to 1 Peter 3 to do a refresh of that lesson.  It is so easy to sit back and wait first to see if someone else will offer a seat before I do.  After all, they might not be as tired as I am, or they might not be carrying a laptop, handbag and lunch bag.  But in waiting to do good, I'm missing the spirit of what the Bible teaches!

"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For,

“Whoever would love life

and see good days

must keep his tongue from evil

and his lips from deceitful speech.

He must turn from evil and do good;

he must seek peace and pursue it.

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

and his ears are attentive to their prayer,

but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fearb; do not be frightened.”  But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."

1 Peter 3:8-17