Thankful

I've probably mentioned this before, but I really like to use Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language.  It's definitions are rich and often scripture is used to illustrate the words.

Thanksgiving

THANKSGIV'ING, participle present tense Rendering thanks for good received.

THANKSGIV'ING, noun The act of rendering thanks or expressing gratitude for favors or mercies.

Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if received with thanksgiving 1 Timothy 4:3.

1. A public celebration of divine goodness; also, a day set apart for religious services, specially to acknowledge the goodness of God, either in any remarkable deliverance from calamities or danger, or in the ordinary dispensation of his bounties. The practice of appointing an annual thanksgiving originated in New England.

THANK'-WORTHY, adjective [thank and worthy.] Deserving thanks; meritorious. 1 Peter 2:1.

We have much to be thankful for and always hope that we truly are.  It is so easy to see what we don't have and hard to really appreciate what we do have.
I am especially thankful for God's mercy, forgiveness, and patience with me.
We also need to remember that we are all pilgrims.

Pilgrim

PIL'GRIM, noun [Latin peregrinus. Gu. Latin peragro, to wander, palor.]

1. A wanderer; a traveler; particularly, one that travels to a distance from his own country to visit a holy place, or to pay his devotion to the remains of dead saints. [See Pilgrimage.]

2. In Scripture, one that has only a temporary residence on earth. Hebrews 11:13.

PIL'GRIM, verb intransitive To wander or ramble. [Not used.]

And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord, offer it at your own will.
Leviticus 22:29

Veterans Day

In Flanders Fields

John McCrae, 1872 - 1918

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row, 
That mark our place, and in the sky, 
The larks, still bravely singing, fly, 
Scarce heard amid the guns below. 

We are the dead; short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, 
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields. 

Take up our quarrel with the foe! 
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high! 
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

I have probably posted this poem before, but I like it and thought about it today as we remember our veterans and World War I.

And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, the field of blood.    Acts 1:19

Priorities

Our washing machine started leaking water early this fall.  The repairman said a hole rusted through the tub in a spot where it couldn't ( or wouldn't pay) to be repaired.  We decided to wait until after harvest to shop for a new one.
Harvest is officially over -  the double crop soybeans are finished - and rain has stopped any tillage, so we decided to go shopping tonight.  Except tonight was the first night of the "Books to Benefit" book sale in Normal.  So instead of washer shopping, we went used book shopping.  Two dollars for hardbacks and fifty cents for soft covers.  This tells you something about our priorities; we would rather buy books than have clean clothes!
The old farmer's wife wonders if we need intervention.;)

I have lived in our farmhouse all but four years of my life.  Last week we had something take place that was a first.  I found a snake in our basement!  I walked into the furnace room to the wall where my coveralls are hanging, and there was the snake slithering around under them.  Its head was hidden, and I didn't know if it would try to bite me, so I stepped on its tail end and waited for my wife to bring me a leather glove so I could pick it up.  It was small, so I took it outside and released it.  It will be a while before we will be able to go into the back basement rooms without a little wariness.

And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Genesis 3:14