Thanksgivings Day and The Campaign of Israel

I am so thankful this Thanksgiving! Though I was not able to travel home to see my relatives this Thanksgiving, God has certainly blessed me and provided for me mightily. I could not have asked for a better year! Below is a break down of how I spent my wonderful day:

First, it was a wonderful 83 degrees here in LA!
Second, I went to church at 10:00 am where they blessed loaves of bread for our Thanksgiving Day meal.
Third, I went Christmas shopping because all the stores were open. This was unlike the 2 previous Thanksgivings that I spent in LA and I can only attribute this to the state of the economy.

My Thanksgiving Meal:
After church, I raced home and baked both a carrot and a spice cake and I made an "ugly" pumpkin "poop" pie (see the pic "how pumpkin pie is made" e-mailed to me by one of my sister-in-laws). My turkey dinner was a quick TV dinner but I did my own, stuffing, mash, gravy, yams, corn and salad also known as "the fixings".

The Decor:
I had scented spice candles from last year and I got some orange fall flowers for a centerpiece. I incorporated a beautiful cross into a bow made of green shiny ribbon then I put out the blessed bread, a bowl of fruit including pomegranates, the cranberry sauce, cranberry drink, mash potatoes and some cheese as hor'dourves. I decorated the side board and placed all the deserts there and the whipped cream. Everything looked so good on display that I couldn't eat because I wanted it to stay exactly right(lol).

Giving Thanks:
I put out a little note card that said "Thank You, God" and one that said "Reserved". Then I dimmed the lights, lit the candle, played the songs "Come, Holy Spirit Come" and I gave thanks to the Almighty for all that He has blessed me with throughout!

The Music:
Remember these Thanksgiving songs?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3dXCL34aEA&feature=related

The Guests:
Even though I have spent 3 Thanksgivings here I have never felt alone thanks to...

My Church:
Thankfully, Living Faith Church is a strong Bible believing church. The bishops and pastors of the church make very strong prayers on our behalf and they know us all by name. They encourage us to have strong faith and to put our faith in action. They are truly a blessing. I am close to many members of my church and they have been a blessing to me this entire year, also. I go to church 2-3 times a week so I see them very often. Two of them are battling chronic back pain and transitioning careers so I am in good company. They pray and believe God for me constantly and I pray and believe God for them. Some of them invited me to their homes but I wanted a quiet day at home today, so I declined.

My Neighbors:
After I prayed over my Thanksgiving's Day meal, my neighbors and their kids showed up. They needed a turkey baster and they promised me a plate of food when it was all done. They came by on Friday as promised with the turkey and all the fixings including a slice of pecan pie! Two other neighbors are coming by with plates of left overs for me, too. My neighbors are a blessing all year round, also. During the summer time, some bring me fresh BBQ from the grill or bake me brownies. In Fall, others invite me to their apartments for dinner or we just hang around pool side and talk. Some take me out for special occasions, window shopping or for dinner and a movie. Others have even driven me to appointments a couple of times and saved me the cab fare. One even came to my rescue through the smoke when the apartment next door was on fire. Some of my neighbors are med students, residents or retired doctors so I get to talk a little shop and keep up on medical trends. Best of all, I get to hang out with all the neighbors' kids and talk pediatrics.

I thank God again for my church friends, my neighbors, my friends and mostly my family!

Hope your Thanksgivings Day was blessed!

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By Franklin Graham
In times like these, when nations are desperate for someone they can trust, Christians know we can always find strength and hope in the Word of the Lord. He tells us through the Apostle Paul,

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NKJV)

Side Note:
The Campaign of Israel:
We at Living Faith Church are in the first week of our Campaign of Israel where we are seeking to have the Faith of Abraham and learn to sacrifice what is precious to us symbolically as Abraham did. I am fasting and praying and attending church 3 days a week I am also considering what financial sacrifice would be right to give. The pastors will take our sacrifices and prayer requests to mount Moriah in Israel just as Abraham did. The pastors are praying for us and I got the following 2 books that are helping me prepare scriptually and spiritually:

"The Faith of Abraham" and "Change Your Life Through Your Sacrifice" are both by Bishop Edir Macedo and can be purchased at www.livingfaith.org