THANKFUL FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  John 16:6-8 New Matthew Bible (NMB)

6 But because I have said such things to you, your hearts are full of sorrow. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is better for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you. But if I depart, I will send him to you. 8 And when He is come, he will rebuke the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment"

I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit. I think if I had to chose a "favorite" identity of the trinity, it would be the Holy Spirit.  I think its cool that some versions of the bible refer to Him as "the comforter" because He is God within us: He's the one that calms me when my mind is racing a 3 o'clock  in the morning with a million different thoughts are racing through my mind, or if I've  had issues with Barrett, Dalton or Bobbye Sue. ( with 2 teenager in the house I better have a comforter to keep from killing them.)

I person believe that the Holy spirit is intertwined with our conscious.  I think that If we don't believe God is good, we can't truly know what is wrong.  While unbelievers may know right fro wrong, they may only  know something is wrong because society tells us.  If I don't believe in God and` I kill someone,  I only know that it's wrong because the law dictates it.  However if I'm a believer and murder someone, I'm going to have compassion for the people who I have harm and be remorseful for what I have done.  (I know this is a very broad example.)  

I just think we need the Holy Spirit to help guide us.

THANKFUL FOR JESUS; THE SON

Jesus!  God Son.  The kid that was literally born to save the entire human race from the punishment of  sin that we all deserve.  I often think if I could willing give up one of  my two kids for the good of others?  Gut reaction - no thank you. 

 As I was thinking this, my brother, Luke, immediately came to my mind.  In Mach, he had to do what no parent wants to do.  He had to say good-bye to his son, Zach.   It was very unexpected and tragic.  They really don't know what happen and probably  never will.  Zach was 22, engaged to Haley and had a 9 month daughter named Tess who is the spitting image of him and a son named Bently .  He was a beloved son and grandson.  He was an awesome big brother to Caylie, Nathan and Presley, teased by his many aunts and uncles (mainly his UNCLES), and adored by a shrew of cousins.  (In case you didn't know, we are a BIG family!)    In the midst of their heartache,  the family choose to let Zach be a organ donor.  I think that he helped six or more individuals through  the donation of his organs
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     Jesus is perhaps greatest organ donor off all, becaussHe shed His blood so that we can have life eternally.  You can only receive the transplant if you put you trus in Him.  

THANKFUL DAY 2 - GOD MY FATHER

Today I'm thankful for God,my heavenly Father.  I find it amazing that God reaches out to His people as a Father.  This intrigues me for many reasons.  First He is the creator.  He spoke everything into existence out of nothing ~  That also makes the world's first and greatest magician. Nothing we can ever create can ever even compare to the vast wonders of God's creations.  The farther is also the head and the bedrock of the family.  (Side NOTE - I am in no way trying to say mothers aren't as important as men or that they can't be the head of their family, because they can.  However, I do believe that the father is biblically  suppose to be the head of the father.)   The father is to lead the family and to have the final authority.  He carries the bulk of the responsibility of the family.  He can be stern and loving at the same time; knowing that true discipline is true love.  My first true image was my earthly father.  My Daddy was 6'7, strong, hard working and loving; but you knew if he took his belt off that you needed to run for the hills because you were in for it.  But the strange was, when all the dust settled, I could go back and talk to my Daddy and still receive that unconditional from Him because I was his daughter.  I can mess time and time keep running back to God because I know that I am His daughter and I'm loved by Him.

THANKFUL DAY 1 - FREEDOM OF RELIGION

 I'm sit sting here thinking about what to say.  There was a shooting at a church in a small Texas town killing  27 people.   The deadliest mass church shooting in American history.  This come on the heals of a attack in New York.  A month ago we were mourning Las Vegas were a man opened fire at an outdoor concert.  2 months ago a man opened fire on a church about 20 minutes from where we live. 

What's happened to our country where  we're not even safe  in our churches;  the places where many us feel the safest. The first amendment  assures us of the freedom of religion; the right to assembly peacefully.  Why does it seam like the  people  who are so anxious to express their freedom of speech are the ones that do it at the expense of steeling it from others?      

We go to a beautiful country church that just turned 115 years hold.  Its the church Bryan grew up in; the church our kids have grown up in.  It is our home.  I'm  so thankful for the first adornment and what it stands for.  We may all wake up next Sunday morning and no church doors will  be opened.  We shouldn't fear this because the true church is not a physical building, but the body of  fellow believers.  We, as Christian, are called to be a  holy  people; set apart to love our enemies as we love our-self; to turn the other cheek. While we should definitely not condone what other people do or say, we  must not live our lives in fear.  The bible tells us that we will go through  trails and tuber lance, and its during these times that our faith truly grow.