Dear Reader:

No…I’m not jumping the season…I love Thanksgiving too much for that…but I read something by Madeleine L’ Engle in her book The Rock that is Higher that made me stop and reexamine myself again. (I need a lot more of that going on.)

I am as guilty as the next fella when it comes to judging people in certain criteria…I really don’t (as much as humanly possible) judge when it comes to issues like race, social status, education, gender…I am all for diversity and everyone getting a chance to follow their dreams.

Where I fall short (real short)  in my judgmental attitude is my dislike of mean people who hurt others, who are bias and prejudiced, condescending to those they feel are beneath them…the scoffers at religion and spirituality, people who simply are not kind but arrogant and self-absorbed…whose value system centers on monetary power through the accumulation of things…possessions, stuff. People who disregard the gift and  sacredness of life.

I realize now that in my judgment of these types of people I see, hear about, and even meet in my daily routine of life…that my judging reduces me to a lower status than what God intended.

It was simply one sentence in the recalling of the story of Jesus meeting His disciples after He had returned from the dead that brought about this important “aha” moment last evening.

Madeleine L’Engle: ” When Jesus came to the disciples after the Resurrection, he did not start the conversation with, “Why did you all abandon me? Why weren’t you with me when I needed you the most?”

Instead He said, ” Peace be with you.” Not one word of recrimination, but words of peace, comfort, and joy.

Wow! How powerful was that…how many of us could have said those words without striking back in hurt and disappointment…especially when the betrayal came from our closest friends (people we loved and trusted) who let us down at the most critical point in our life?

As ‘Engle continues she explains: “When I only see how wrong somebody is, or mistaken they are, then I am blinded to their being children of God, who are just as valued and treasured as those who more closely share my same set of values and beliefs.”

Only God can judge us…and in the end…His is the only judgement that matters. We need to try to pray for each other even when we disagree with each other. We are human creatures, each of us sharing in our humanness, but each one of us is also completely, uniquely different. Only God can see this so we need to leave it to Him when it comes to the final verdict.

Okay…my sermon is over…(a self-directed one)…because I realize now that a lot of the anguish, angst, and anger I feel at the direction our country and world is heading towards must be tempered with trust in God to see us through these tough times. There is absolutely no problem too big for Him….my prayer is for Him to show me the best way to conduct myself and stay on the true path that leads only in His direction.

So until tomorrow…May we all embrace tiding of comfort and joy this Thanksgiving remembering that all our friends and family members (yes, even that one) is, also, a member of the human race and a child of God. (If worse comes to worse…keep a drumstick handy to stuff in annual disruptive one’s mouth!) Gobble Gobble!

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

More (almost) Thanksgiving pictures….Mother Nature is trying to get those leaves turned before they fall off….next year we need more rain! The first two I took at church and the last two on my neighborhood walk with Vickie and little Maggie the dog.

Mollie’s friends gave her a baby shower yesterday for number three- Eloise… their first little girl…but also the last member of the family..Mollie said she was happy but also a little sentimental.

And now on to my second daughter-in-love, it’s Kaitlyn’s birthday today! A special one for a special girl. We love you Kaitlyn! Happy Happy Birthday! So glad you got to celebrate in Miami…perfect timing!