It's the Black Friday Frenzy

I remember when I lived in Tulsa and on Thanksgiving night, I drove by our local Best Buy store. I just had to take this photo of people camped out already for the doors to open the next morning and then they could get their “deal”. No need to camp out this year -- stores opened at 6 pm on Thanksgiving night!

I read that, if today is like last year’s Black Friday, half of all Americans will be shopping this weekend. Aw – the blissful start to Christ’s birthday party. Hail holy consumerism! Rather, Hail Mary, full of grace and truth, and God, who got this holy birthday party started over 2,000 years ago.

The truth is this day and Advent that begins this Sunday starts the most wonderful time of the year that gives us the greatest opportunities to make a difference for Jesus. Yesterday, my Frisco family and I had a precious Thanksgiving Day filled with all the trimmings of an amazing feast and delicacies. We celebrated by sharing how grateful we are for our many blessings, played games, and took fun family photos!

My son and family always spend Thanksgiving Day in Muldrow, OK where Shawntel’s family lives and celebrates in grand style with Grandma and 60+ family members show up. I love that! Today they’ll join us here in Frisco for our traditional day-after-Thanksgiving feast of my Waikiki meatballs and all the trimmings. We won't be taking the time to join in the Black Friday frenzy. We'll still be savoring so many reasons for Thanksgiving.
The key to celebrating the coming holidays lies in the holiday we just concluded.

My son and family always spend Thanksgiving Day in Muldrow, OK where Shawntel’s family lives and celebrates in grand style with Grandma and 60+ family members show up. I love that! Today they’ll join us here in Frisco for our traditional day-after-Thanksgiving feast of my Waikiki meatballs and all the trimmings. We won't be taking the time to join in the Black Friday frenzy. We'll still be savoring so many reasons for Thanksgiving. The key to celebrating the coming holidays lies in the holiday we just concluded.

This Thanksgiving week, we’ve focused on God’s command to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). And here's what I want to leave with you this day after Thanksgiving. I don't see today as "Black Friday".. Every Friday is Good Friday and here is what I wish as we approach the most beautiful time of the year: That we stop to feel, smell, savor and acknowledge the precious gifts that God provides for us every single day. That we fully appreciate the blessings in our lives and not miss a moment. That we take them in and savor them in our senses as if we might lose them tomorrow. And thank our God for the gift of it all. I hope you embrace the moments, the season, the joys and the hopes that this beautiful season of Advent and Christmas brings -- like never before -- even if you enjoy "the hunt" during the Black Friday frenzy!

Opportunities Often Come in the Storm

I thought about this Christmas cartoon when I witnessed a Texas-size hailstorm last night. LOL! Actually, it was a sight to be behold, and hear pounding on the roof of my kids' home. Just as it was starting to come down (pea-sized), Larry quickly put my car in the garage. Soon after that, the sizes were way over golf ball size as seen in this second photo. Larry timed the hailstorm by recording it. It lasted over 8 minutes with 2 inches reported. It is suspected that many homes' roofs will have been damaged because it came down in heavy winds. Sirens were also going off as a tornado watch was out and one of the kids' friends came upon the hail as he was driving on the highway, lost control of his car and ran into a concrete embankment. Fortunately, he is okay, but his car isn't. Whew! And I thought Oklahoma had weather excitement!

I understand that hailstorms are frequent here in Texas which means that roofing companies get plently of business. A good friend of Larry and Staci has a roofing company and immediately, he was saying, "Thank you, Lord", along with posting his business info on FB. Cominic just might be saying: "Opportunity comes in the midst of difficulty." That is what It's like for a good friend of mine who is a funeral home owner and mortician says "We never pray for anyone to die, but we do pray "When they do, we're here to serve them!" I think Dominic must say the same thing "We don't pray for a hailstorm, but when one comes, we can serve you!"

Dominic, knowing Payton and Alexia are working very hard to earn the funds they need for their Guatemala Missions Trip in July, gave them a call and said, "I'll give you $200 for every referral you can get me to come out and do an inspection and then repair their roof. You should have seen those two kids going into action -- on social media, calling, text messaging and emailing every homeowner they knew! Blessings often come during times of difficulty -- times of storms. Mercies in disguise.

This reminded me of a beautiful song, "Laura's Song". It speaks of the blessings that come during trials of our lives. I know it will bless you to hear it, too. The link is below:

What if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights,
Are what it takes to know You're near?
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can't satisfy?
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mmgV6mPvb0