Thanks be to God

As Thanksgiving was celebrated last Thursday, I have been reflecting on the many blessings of this life. I am certainly thankful for the opportunities Resurrection House has provided, to push me out of my comfort zone and engage in new ministries. I am also thankful for the hospitality Nebraska has shown me, and I pray for the wisdom to accept that gift. For the remainder of this blog post I would like to share some of my reflections on what I am grateful for. This list is far from comprehensive, and represents only some of the blessings God has generously bestowed upon me………

• God’s grace and mercy.

• The Sermon on the Mount, the Greatest Commandment, the Seven Woes, and the Great Commission.

• The Old Testament Prophets, Paul’s Letters, the Book of James, and the Book of Revelation.

• Psalms 23, 27, 46, 91, 100, 131, 139, and 148.

• The baptismal covenant, apostolic succession, the Book of Common Prayer and the Nicene Creed.

• Lessons and Carols, Pentecost, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday.

• Northern Virginia in the Fall, when the leaves change colors.

• Omaha’s Old Market, the Joslyn Art Museum, and the Henry Doorly Zoo.

• A grilled cheese sandwich on a cold day, sweet tea on a hot day, and pecan pie in any weather.

• Steel guitars, banjos, fiddles, and horns of all kind.

• Joe Gibbs, Mark Rypien, Darrell Green, Art Monk, Brian Mitchell, and the rest of the Super Bowl Champion 1991-92 Washington Redskins.

• In Football -- Goal line stands, trick plays, and well executed special teams.

• In Baseball -- Sacrifice bunts, strike em out/throw em out double plays, and inside the park home runs.

• In Basketball -- High percentage free throw shooting, taking a charge, and fundamental box outs.

• The Macho Man Randy Savage, Ric Flair (Woooooooo!!!!!), The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Randy Orton, and all other professional wrestlers.

• Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Tommy, Uncle EC, Aunt Mildred, Aunt Trosie, Aunt Fran, and the rest of my family who has passed on to glory.

• Dogs of all shapes and sizes.

• Life’s challenges, mysteries, and struggles.