Thanksgiving 2011

Usually this blog is used for political articles and things of a secular nature, however, its title is "Jacob Bogle Writes" and my life encompasses much more than politics. Sorry for it being a few days late, but here is my family message for Thanksgiving 2011.


"Today is Thanksgiving's Day, a day when we come together as family and friends and stuff our faces, but, it’s also a day, as every day should be, that has a spiritual side to it. A day for us to give thanks and remember what life means, and to remember the very truth of reality that God exists, that Jesus lives, and that through him we can have even better days and years to give thanks for in the future.

You read throughout the Bible of many men and women giving thanks to God; Moses did, David did and Jesus did. Christ taught us how to pray and give thanks for each other, but he also taught us how to give thanks to God for the bad stuff in life.

It’s real easy to say “thank you Lord” for a great meal, or for friends/family, or because we got a new job, but life isn’t always wonderful. Life can be full of hardships too, but again Jesus taught us what to do. Jesus never whined to God and even when he knew he would be arrested, brutally beaten and killed. Instead of saying “OK I want to stop” or “why me,” Jesus simply prayed and asked that if it was God’s will that he be crucified, for God to give him the strength to do it.

We aren’t thanking God that we got the flu or became disabled, we are thanking God for the opportunity to be like Christ. We are thanking him that through our hardships we can learn to lean on Christ, to trust the will of God and for the chance to overcome. So thank him in the good times and the bad, and when confronted with a problem or sickness to ask the Lord for the strength and inner peace to go through it, especially if what you’re going through really hurts or looks hopeless.

As Christians we are often told to look forward and gear our lives toward Heaven, but God didn’t make us human so he could be with us when we’re dead, he made us so that we might have life. We are only alive for this moment, not 10 minutes ago and not 10 minutes from now, we live just this second so let us remember the true meaning of what it is to live. That meaning is coming together, being thankful, loving each other, and, most importantly, sharing the love of God to others, that in us, we should exemplify.

If Christ is in you then let his light, your light, shine and be a symbol of hope to others. The best way we can thank and praise God is to be praise itself in our everyday life to the wonders of God."

-- Jacob Bogle, 11/24/11