Crazy Thanksgiving Day!

Growing up, my mother typically hosted the Thanksgiving dinner for all of her extended family.  It was much more than just a meal, it was a full day of hanging out, eating, laughing, playing games, and napping.  Family members would bring special dishes to pass and there was always an abundance of food.  Rarely did we go around and express what we were grateful for as individuals but my grandfather would always give thanks to God for His provision of food and for the gift of family.  I was thankful that my grandmother would always bring a large dish of banana pudding--one of our favorites!

At the age of 11, while celebrating Thanksgiving with all of the family, I recall a tragedy that happened at our house.  My father asked my cousin to back our car away from the garage door a little bit in order that the door could swing open.  I was offended that my father asked my 14 year old cousin when he had a very competent son who could have done the job.  After my cousin rolled the car backwards in order for the garage door to open, he came inside and placed the car keys on the kitchen counter.  My mental gears were spinning with  less than noble thoughts.  I picked up the keys and went outside 10 minutes later in order to drive the car back up the incline, in order to place the car in its original position (near the garage door).  What was the purpose of this exercise--I still don't know.  This was a mistake!  After starting the car and placing it in gear, the car began to roll backwards towards my grandmother's car--yikes!  Out of pure fear I punched the accelerator and drove right through the garage door with my parents new, red Chevy Impala.  Needless to say, my sister was standing inside the garage as I went driving past her.  After shaking the house and gaining everyone's attention, I had only one thought--run and hide!  While we typically take this time of the year to thank God for the many things that He has blessed us with, I can also think of several things that He has not given me that I certainly deserve.

Here is a short list of those things:

1. No punishment for the short cruise in my parent's car and no jail time.
2. No garnishing of wages especially since I had no job. 
3. No humiliating correction in front of my family and friends.
4. And, No punishment for my sin--Christ took that for me!

God is so loving by not giving us the very things that we deserve due to our disobedient hearts.  He placed all of His wrath for our evil upon Jesus Christ.  Not only have we been given many things to thank Him for but He has refrained from giving us many things that we deserve.

Galatians 1:4 (Jesus Christ) "...who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

1 Peter 2:23-24 (Jesus Christ) "When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” 

Romans 3:22-24 "This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."