Carpentering for the Carpenter

It's Thanksgiving weekend. No, I haven't gone through a time warp! As you know I live north of the 49th parallel in what some people hope will become the 51st State. But as yet we are a soverign nation, still figuratively under the Queen of England. And we can't wait until late November when all is ice and snow, we we celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. (Wisely set so we get a long weekend out of it -theoretically. More about that later.)
What is Canadian Thanksgiving like? A lot like the American one. It's purpose is relatively the same. Most people roast a turkey with all the trimmings. Our family, like many Canucks, opts for ham, applesauce, and of course pumpking pie.
This year Colleen broke down and bought the pies? You see she is working all three days. (Wal-Mart believes in Thanksgiving for monitary purposes) Since Colleen was working and I was quite busy at my job, I worked Saturday too. So so much for a long weekend. But I'm not complaining. We are thankful for our jobs and the opportunity to make some overtime too. But tomorrow, Thanksgiving Monday, I will be monitoring the roast between working on the basement, while Colleen is at work. She'll be home early enough for us (Ron and his girlfriend Jen too, hopefully)to enjoy a scrumptous meal together in our "new old home."
Am I thankful? Yes I have much to be thankful for. I'm reminded of PRBI president Rod Masterson's Thanksgiving message last year, titled "You Complain, You Die." It was based on the Israelites complaining in the wilderness. What I got out of it was, in my own words, "If you are not thankful for what you have, you won't be thankful for what you get!"
So what am I thankful for?
My lovely wife of 34 years.
Our three children.
A new son-in-law, soon.
Two grandsons.
Seeing our youngest son this summer.
Seeing my Mom and all my siblings on Labor Day.
Seeing Suzanne and Thomas(and Brian that weekent too.
Watching Ron play basketball.
Good health.
God's protection on and off the road.
Our jobs and the abilities to do them.
A home we finally own, with the bank's help.
A home fully renovated upstairs.
Knowing Jesus Christ for some 44 years.
The opportunity to study His Word for seven on those years.
The opportunity to serve Him as a Pastor for some 25 of those 44 years.
Being able to step back from that "front lines" ministry.
Many unique discipleship opportunities over the years and still today.
Getting to know God better in recent years.
And for God making me a more thankful person.