Sunday's super service

The meaning of thanksgiving seems to be more clear to us as we get older and learn to appreciate all that life has offered us.  There was a time when thanksgiving meant no more than a great meal and a big party, but as we spent the evening and had a great supper with friends we realize just how blessed we are.  After supper we spent time playing the numbers game and having a good laugh.  I lost at the numbers game so Gail got to asked me a question, she asked if I had fear about anything.  Well, thinking about the ranch project and all the people it will help and that I've made so many stupid mistakes in my life.  I said, I guess that I'm sensitive to every situation and do not want to offend anyone, but as Pastor Lyle shared in church today, we need to be so thankful for all that God has blessed us with.  He shared that the explorers that first landed on the shores of Halifax gave thanks to God for a safe journey to this new land.  All those who built this country into what it is today, gave thanks to God every step of the way, and today we have everything a country could ask for, although our society is falling apart and God is being put on the side lines more each day.  The simplest and yet the greatest prayer could well be as simple as  "Thank you God."  A report says that "Thankful people are -- less depressed -- Have a better outlook -- are more positive -- have less negative thoughts -- more friends -- less likely to abuse substances -- or need  substances to get through.  A life void of thankfulness is a life void of love and passion.  Often the hardest math is to count our blessings, but when Diane and I think of all the people that have poured so much into the ranch project, providing the buildings, the equipment that is waiting to be delivered to be used to start the ground work to get our first building up.  Then we can have a place to start training in the spring.   It is overwhelming and Diane and I are so thankful to everyone for the support and trust as we follow God.  We give Him all the thanks and glory for what He has done and what He is continuing to do.  So I guess the blessing of the day would be that when we accept Jesus as the Lord of our lives, it doesn't matter what our past was.  Jesus will use us if we allow Him to.  Diane and I pray that God would bless you all and that the ranch would continue to bless many for generations to come.  Good night.--- lst Thessalonians 4 : 11