Happy Thanksgiving!

First of all, I pray that all of you in the U.S. have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. God is good, and He has blessed us richly, even when it's tempting to think about the financial crisis, higher food and energy costs, and whatever aches and pains we might happen to have today and to wonder what we have to be thankful for.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it....Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

- Psalm 118:24, 29

Just the fact that God has given us another day to spend with family and friends and, more importantly, to use for His glory, is something to be thankful for. That, of course, is to say nothing about what God has done for us through His Son. May we not need a holiday to remind us to be thankful.

So, there's my sermonette for the day. :)

Today I'm going to Chemnitz to visit Mark and Karen as well as several other people. Between ETM in the spring and then the Singles' Retreat, I feel like I know half of the congregation in Chemnitz. I plan to come back to Bremen on Tuesday. I'm really looking forward to this trip and the opportunity to spend some time with friends.

Elsa and I have done more work at her house over the past week. Jim's office is slowly becoming Elsa's office, and we are in general cleaning out unneeded things throughout the house. I think it's hard for Elsa sometimes because of the emotional connection to Jim, but she seems to be happy that she's able to better use the space and resources she has.

I'm also starting a new project: translating the notes from the seminar on the Holy Spirit we had recently. I don't think it will take too long (there are five pages, single-spaced in outline form), but I'm looking forward to it. I'm thinking I could maybe work as a translator because I really enjoy it. At least from German into English. :) I can't write well enough in German yet to be able to translate adequately in the other direction.

Yes, we did get a couple inches of snow last Friday. It was a bit strange to get snow this early, especially when Bremen only had one real snowfall last year, and that was right around Christmas. I wonder what this means for the rest of the winter.

I pray you have a wonderful holiday if you are in the States and a wonderful day at work/school if you are not. :) Today and every day I am thankful for you and for your support and following of my work in Bremen. Gott mit Euch!