This is just a quick note on Thanksgiving Day. That’s American Thanksgiving in my family, since we have celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving last month. (Same menu, same gratitude, no Pilgrims.) I am, of course, grateful to you. I’m glad you read what I write here on my blog and elsewhere. What is a writer without readers? […]
Letters to a Young Pastor: Giving Thanks
Dear ______: I’m sending this a bit early since I know you are heading out for the Thanksgiving break. I wanted to be sure it reaches you, especially since I know you are having a hard time just now. Holiday gatherings can amplify those feelings (imagine how ambivalent the poor turkey is), but I hope there is also […]
From Gratitude to Obedience: Can We Get There from Here?
You’ve probably heard the joke about the fellow who asked for directions only to be told “Sorry. You can’t get there from here.” In the Reformed tradition we think gratitude leads us to obey God’s expressed will. But as a comment in last week’s post on the life of gratitude asked “…it seems like a stretch to […]
What Does The Life of Gratitude Look Like? (Heidelberg Catechism, Q93)
Thanksgiving is coming next week! I love having a day that almost requires me to say “Thank you!” to God and to people around me. I want my whole life to focus on giving thanks. What does a thankful life look like? If you have been here before you know that I often post about […]
So Give Thanks! (Heidelberg Catechism Q. 43)
In this week when my country celebrates a day of thanksgiving, my mind, of course, turns to the Heidelberg Catechism. (Okay, maybe yours doesn’t. But you probably haven’t been blogging about it all year.) There are lots of ways Christians can summarize the Christian life. This 450 year old introduction to biblical teaching tells me […]