Thanksgiving was a mix of celebration and concern for an old friend and his family. Thanksgiving was a blend of the cycles in our lives and a reminder that the greatest blessing is forgiveness we can have in Jesus and the eternal life he offers.
Wednesday evening I received a message from my friend Todd. We reconnected a few years ago. We were childhood friends who played together almost every day along with his younger brother Paul. Paul battled chronic illness for many years and had a kidney transplant some years ago. Todd shared the news with me that Paul was hospitalized. We prayed over the phone. Paul passed away in the overnight hours. I am grateful we were able to reconnect the past few years and even more grateful Paul knew Christ as his Savior and is now in heaven.
Thursday evening it was a blessing to be with my friends Alekseyi and Ruslana and their family. We had a delicious Thanksgiving dinner. I always enjoy interacting with their children, After dinner, we sat in the living room talking and I watched as their one year old grandson Nathan was walking. It was amazing to watch as only a month ago he was crawling and standing by holding onto a chair. Now he is walking and trying to run.
Their younger sons wanted me to time them with the stop watch feature on my iPad as they ran up and down the stairs. The house was full of the energy of youth.
Thanksgiving was a reminder of the cycle of life for us, We are born, we grow, we age, and we all eventually face death. Fortunately Jesus was born into this life, grew, and also faced death defeating death through his resurrection. If we know Jesus. this life is the worst we we ever experience because heaven is a place of wonders beyond our comprehension.
I am grateful for the full experience of life this Thanksgiving, the first days of walking for a one year old and the end of suffering for a friend who knows Jesus.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
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