I know not everyone who reads this celebrates Thanksgiving, but if you do, I hope you have a great one! Don’t eat too much turkey!

And since this is also Thankful Thursday, what a great way to celebrate the day than a thankful list –

• I’m thankful Duck, Doodle and I were able to visit my friend Heather last weekend and her church. We even got to see “The Star.”
• I’m thankful we bought the motorcycle (well, still paying for it, but you know what I mean). Duck’s ridden to work several beautiful days and other than the gate crashing incident, has been totally safe and having a blast riding. I’ve told him I’d hold off ’til spring before I learn to ride, but honestly I don’t know if I can wait that long.
• I am thankful for instant stuff. Stuff like instant gravy — just add water; Stove Top stuffing — just add water and some butter (I think); Hamburger Helper — just add water, milk and hamburger. If it weren’t for this stuff, I could really not cook the few odd times I decide to try
• I am most thankful for Duck. I am very blessed to have him in my life. Not everyone has someone, and not everyone who has someone has someone like Duck.
• I am most thankful for Doodle as well. Even though there are times where she annoys me (on purpose mind you), there are other precious times where she wants to sit on my lap and watch the original Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
• I am thankful for this house and all that clutters it. I have never needed for anything. Sure there are things I want to change — like the hideous wallpaper in the kitchen that’s been there for the 11 years we’ve lived here — but it’s been a great roof over my head, keeps me warm in winter, protects my family and allows each of us to go to separate rooms when we want “alone time.” It’s much bigger and better than any single-wide trailer I dreamed about when I was very little.
• I am the most thankful for God though and Him sending Jesus down here to save us from ourselves. Boy, did I ever need saving from myself! I’m also thankful for the ladies who are joining me in the study groups. I’m praying that God will use me — use my site — to reach others with questions about my God and my Jesus.

I hope you and everyone in your family are safe and well through this holiday weekend (if you’re in the US). Well, I hope you and your family are safe and well no matter where you’re at

Participate in your very own Thankful Thursday or check out others who are participating.

My good friend, Heather @ Desperately Seeking Sanity, had her son come home crying yesterday (read the details of the story here). In the story, she shares with you (word-for-word) what I typed in an IM chat window for her to share with her son:

tell Matthew that when Jesus picked his disciples that he chose people that no one else would’ve — the unpopular, the ones who weren’t very educated, etc. He didn’t pick priests and people who were in the temples everyday — he picked fishermen

Seriously, had I known she was just going to read it off the screen as I typed it, I would’ve polished it up a bit more

The people back in that day did not want a Savior that came to them in a manager. They didn’t want a carpenter for a Savior. They didn’t want peace. They wanted a King that was going to rise up and kick bootie (but not theirs mind you — everyone else who was doing wrong). If it were up to the people, they would’ve picked someone who would’ve won wars, not healed the blind, sick and crippled. If it were up to the people, they would’ve had Jesus around forever with us on earth instead of having Him die on the cross. People rejected Jesus (then as they still do now).

When Jesus was picking disciples (or people to heal or people to talk to), he didn’t choose the most popular. The people would’ve chosen the high priest for sure — he’s smart, he knows what’s going on — but the priest wasn’t chosen. No one wanted to talk to the woman at the well — that’s why she went in the heat of the day, when no one else was there. Matthew was a tax collector — he definitely was not well-liked when Jesus chose him. It wasn’t a matter of them being uneducated (as in the book sense we think of today) but back then, Jesus picked those who weren’t the most educated on religious beliefs. Fishermen weren’t stupid. They were very good at what they did — what they knew about.

It wasn’t a popularity contest then — and it’s still not a popularity contest — at least not with God. It’s all about having a willing, open heart towards Him.

And with that, I’ll make this my Thankful Thursday post — because I am so very thankful that it’s not a popularity contest with God. There would be absolutely no hope for me if that were the case!

**Edited to add the link to the details of Heather’s story — because I know I had it there last night …