Today … I’m Thankful

It’s Thanksgiving today here in Canada. Because we like to get this holiday out of the way long before the Christmas season begins, we celebrate it in early October as opposed to late November like our neighbors to the south. But apart from the different date and the different national history, it is otherwise much the same in its purpose, meaning, and even menus and rituals. We are particularly pleased this year to have my sister and her family visiting …

A Year of Sorrow, a Year of Gratitude, a Year of Grace

The grass at Glen Oaks Cemetery had already begun to fade from its bright summer green to its drab winter brown on the day we first visited. The November breeze blew cold upon us as we walked the rows of graves to choose the spot where we would bury our son. We eventually chose a plot near the end of a long row, beneath the shade of a young tree. A few days later we watched his coffin be lowered …

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Here Comes (U.S.) Thanksgiving: The Unbreakable Link between Gratitude and Joy

What are people willing to give for joy? What price are they willing to pay? Consider what people spend on vacations, luxury goods, entertainment, and stimulants and it’s clear the cost is sky-high. And yet all that time, money, and effort never seems to be enough. For so many people, joy remains elusive. And if they do find it, it is fleeting and unsatisfying. It’s ironic that during the holiday season—when we talk about joy the most—it seems to be the hardest to …

Free Stuff Fridays

This week’s Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by Reformation Heritage Books. They have a great prize for you this week–or for five of you, really. They are offering five prizes, each of which will contain: Meet the Puritans by Joel Beeke and Randall Pederson A Puritan Theology by Joel Beeke and Mark Jones A Puritan Theology is a brand new, massive, $60 work. that “offers a groundbreaking treatment of the Puritans’ teaching on most major Reformed doctrines, gathering together the threads …

On the Giving of Thanks

If you’ve been reading this site for a few years, you may remember the time I wrote about my old van leaving me stranded on the side of the highway. My lease was nearly over and I had to drive across town (about one hour each way) to visit a car dealer and have him put a price on my van. This happened to be a rare occasion that I did not have my cell phone with me. The charger …

A Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving up here in Canada and we’ll be gathering with family to celebrate the day. I thought it would be appropriate to offer this prayer, drawn once more from The Valley of Vision. O My God, You fairest, greatest, first of all objects, My heart admires, adores, loves You, For my little vessel is as full as it can be, And I would pour out all that fullness before You in ceaseless flow. When I think upon and …

A La Carte (10/11)

Thursday October 11, 2007 Rediscovering the Psalms Bob Kauflin announced yesterday that the theme of the WorshipGod08 Conference will be “Rediscovering the Psalms.” He is looking for seminar ideas if you care to share some with him. Praying Your Way Into the Pulpit Colin writes about the importance of a pastor praying his way into the pulpit. Westminster Assembly Poster Reformation Art is now offering a beautiful color poster commemorating the work of the Westminster Assembly of Divines. Interview with …