Thankful

So much for trying to stay consistent on this blogging thing. Oh well, I hope that everyone is having a great Thanksgiving week. Time to reflect on all of God's goodness to us - past and present. I could fill this blog up with a thankful list so I'll do my best to limit it for the sake of time and space. Almost everyone knows we live in DC now - what an amazing place to live! I'm thankful we have a roof over our heads. I've seen many, many homeless individuals along the streets of DC - several in the shadow of our nations Capitol building. Sunday afternoon NCC served the homeless a Thanksgiving dinner on the lower level of Ebenezers (NCC's coffee house located a block from Union Station). It's easy to focus only on ourselves and our families during the holidays and forget about those who don't have a house or a family to make that house a home. Speaking of family - I'm thankful for mine. We took Macy and Mia to the National Museum of American History the past couple of days. Macy had her own little camera with her - taking pictures of things she thought were cool - the first Washington Monument which is a statue of George Washington - a very large stuffed buffalo and the real C3PO suit they used in Return of the Jedi. We also saw the actual Star Spangled banner - the same flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write our national anthem. Macy was so amazed by it that we went through that exhibit twice. We saw a lot of other amazing things while we there - the top hat that Abraham Lincoln was wearing the night he was at Ford's Theater - the chairs the Gen. Lee and Gen Grant sat in when Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court house - and badly damaged steel columns from the 70th floor of the south tower of the World Trade Center. When Macy saw this and the large photos of the towers in flames - she looked at me and asked, 'why?' I stood there wondering that myself.
I wonder what the victims families are feeling during Thanksgiving and Christmas time? I believe that's something that every American needs to think about on a regular basis and while we're thinking we need to pray for those families. I can't even imagine what they've had to go through.
Well, theres lots to get done in the next couple of days - this Thanksgiving celebration can get out of hand so my goal is to keep it simple and simply be thankful.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

his love endures forever.
1 Chron. 16:34

***

1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-

3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

Psalm 103:1-3