Family

Thanksgiving by Candlelight

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you! 1 Thessalonians 5:17

One Thanksgiving, when our sons were still teen-agers, Nancy had to work the first half of the day. To make things easier, she had prepared some of the food the night before, but the turkey was up to us guys to have cooked by the time she came home. So, while Nancy went off to her duties at the department store, I started wrestling with the bird and had the boys get the table set. Believe it or not the sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and cheesecake for desert were all ready by the time Nancy got home about four-thirty. As soon as she got in the door our boys anxiously started asking if they could watch a football game from the table. Nancy groaned inwardly, and said, “Not until we are at least done eating the main course, please!”

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Then as we sat down and bowed our heads to give thanks for another year, a funny thing happened. The lights went out! The day had been sunny and warm, by Northeastern Pennsylvanian standards. While the boys and I sat stunned, Nancy, with a huge grin, leapt into action and pulled out the candles from the cupboard. By flashlight, I found a nice pair of candlestick holders and then in the flickering light that kind of reminded me of Abraham Lincoln in his log cabin, we bowed again and laughed as we gave thanks. After a hearty “Amen!”, we dug into the most delicious holiday meal that I can ever remember! Then, just as we finished eating, the lights snapped back on. The game was eventually watched, and later we learned our mysterious blackout happened because someone’s pickup truck had knocked over a power pole. But whatever the explanation, I am convinced to this day that God in His own special timing, took us off schedule, to remind us that taking time together and being thankful to him is what a real Thanksgiving is all about!

In happy moments, praise God. In difficult moments, seek God. In quiet moments, worship God. In painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.”

Rick Warren

Time to Be Thankful by Peter Caligiuri

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:15-16 KJV

We have time to eat turkey
And time to have our pie
Time to watch some football
And for buying stuff on line

But for everything God gave us
Will we take time to say “Thanks”
Or just argue over politics
And a film that stars Tom Hanks?

But if Jesus is the center
Of all we do and say
Then truly we can celebrate
This Good Thanksgiving Day!


It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favors. - George Washington
Thankful for happy memories with my real Thanksgiving treasures!

Prayer Request

/ pastorpete51 / 27 Comments

I don’t often share personal things about our family, both due to my own reticence along with the desire to protect their privacy. However, this week we really need your prayers for our daughter-in-law Melinda. Last year Melinda was diagnosed with ovarian cancer exactly as my wife had been five years ago. She went through the same chemo regimen as Nancy and seemed equally to have beaten this terrible disease up until this Monday. That was when a scan revealed the beginnings of cancer on the lining of her stomach. Her doctor has already scheduled for Melinda to start another 6 rounds of chemo on Tuesday. This has been devastating emotionally for all of us. I would so appreciate your prayers as we begin yet another journey into the unknown. Please ask especially that the Lord would encourage, heal strengthen and give direction, especially for Chris and Melinda. Thanks so much!

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, 
that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 
James 5:16 ESV

I Doan Like This Kinna Pancake!

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments

For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11 ESV

Years ago, wanting to spend more quality time with our boys, I served in Royal Rangers, which was our denominations variety of Boy Scouts. Though the weekly meetings were okay, what I loved most was camping out. The group I worked with was consisted of 7-8 years old boys and for most of them, camping was a brand new experience.

On one of them after getting a few hours of sleep in our tents, we began making pancakes and bacon over the campfire. Now the interesting thing about cooking over a wood fire is that sometimes a few ashes settle into the pancakes or atop a bacon slice. But the kids eagerly lined up for breakfast, and wolfed their food down so fast you would have thought they were eating manna from heaven. Everyone was having a blast: everyone that is except for Tony. He came back to me, not having taken even a single bite and stood silently holding his plate. It was bent under the weight of the food and syrup dripped off its edge then he looked up and uttered words that have stayed with me ever since, “Commander Pete – I doan like this kinna pancake!”

I laughed then, but after forty years, if Tony were here, I would say, “Me too Tony, me too” There are some days when I come to Jesus and say, “Jesus, I doan like this kinna daily bread. Is there something else on the menu?” But our Lord looks patiently at me and replies, “One day, I was betrayed, unjustly accused and sentenced to a terrible death, I also didn’t at all like what was put on my plate, but I finished it all for you.” Then I bow my head and give thanks for the pancakes that God has chosen for me. Yes, I may not like “This kinna pancake,” – but I know that one day we will sit down at a table together and feast on the manna of Heaven!

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