ABCs of Thanksgiving

Joel 2:26-27 ABC’s of Thanksgiving 11/19/06
Mount Pisgah Allen R. Hunt

I. Poor little Thanksgiving – doesn’t ask for much
No shopping, no decorations, no parties, no egg nog, no flash
And our culture loves flash
All October, stores are decorated, homes put out coffins and goblins, pumpkins fill the air
Until Halloween, and then on November 1, almost as if it were magic
Turn on the radio – Christmas carols – November 1!
Wal-Mart and Target – Red, green, tinsel, and lights
Santa’s on his way

But for a moment today, let’s take a moment to say hello to poor little Thanksgiving
George Washington thought he was important – set aside an entire day to give thanks to God for the incredible bounty and opportunity we enjoy in America
Abe Lincoln thought the same thing – National Day of Thanksgiving
Thankful TO GOD

Did you ever give someone a gift – and they never acknowledged, never said thanks, never wrote a note? Empty feeling
All we have in life is a gift from God
One saint said, “We should spend as much time thanking God for His benefits as we do in asking Him for them.”
Joel here names what Israel has to be thankful for
So let’s take a moment – perhaps this week, even on Thursday, to stop and say hello to Thanksgiving, and thank you to God

I do that each year by being specific – listing 26 things different from last year
Give thanks to God for big things – and small things
Best things and silly things – all the things that fill my life with joy and grace

A – Anita – pole position – list her first for first time ever – she is the best
B- Biscuits and gravy – seriously, that is good stuff
C- Corinthians – best books of the Bible – listen to a few of these
1 Cor 3.16-17: Don’t you know that you are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for Gods temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
2 Cor 3.18: And we who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Cor 4.18: So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Cor 5: 21: God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God
D- Dancing with the Stars – what a great time our family had with this so over the top but fun show - Emmitt Smith, the one Gator I will cheer for
E – Emmaus- still the best experience I know to jump start your spiritual life – intense three day retreat – great growth – stand if you have been
F – Fincher’s BBQ – Macon, Georgia – Houston Avenue – the best, period
G- Green Eggs and Ham – best kids book ever – followed by Grinch, also a G
H – High banks of Bristol Motor Speedway - seriously, now that is good stuff
I – Ipod
J – Johns Creek – exciting to see democracy in action
K – Kimbrough – a friend who blesses me and you
L – Lovely children – what a pleasure they are
M – Mission teams (28 students fro out student ministry went to Gulfport this past weekend to provide Katrina relief – wow) and nearly 500 of us serve on a team each year
N – North Atlanta Christmas Festival – Harlow you are a blessing, and this new part of the Christmas season at Mount Pisgah is gonna be terrific
O – Oscar Norton – I cannot do Oscar justice – important man in my first church and ministry – barely finished high school and one of the smartest people I have ever known
P – Pudding – seriously, now that is good stuff
Q – Quality college football - SEC, does the rest of the country play football?
R – Red headed girls – I have two and they are God’s greatest gift to me besides Jesus Christ
S – Second daughter driving – Scary – Thought Senior driving be better – isn’t – second even scarier – pray for me
T – Trinity - God is 3, God is 1 – how cool is that – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – God is good
U – Unconditional love – God’s, my parents’, my wife’s , and now my girls – in fact, my daughters have taught me more about God’s unconditional love than anything else in my life – a tremendous gift and foundation for my life
V – Virgin birth – Christmas – either you are a believer or you’re not – gift of God made flesh
W – Wind chimes – 2nd most soothing sound in the world – after a flowing river
Z – Zero – days left til college BB season – good news for an FSU fan this year
X – Christ – by whom, in whom, and through whom, all else is and will be
Y – You – you are a remarkable people, and this is a remarkable place - 6 new members, 5 baptisms, 4 new decisions for Christ – been a good week at Mount Pisgah – thank you for the privilege of serving as your pastor