I am Thankful for Four Blessings

Today was a day of four special blessings. I shall enumerate them in the order they occurred. First, I awoke this morning feeling rested. The significance of this blessing is that I have battled a virus for the past month or so. Cheryl brought it home from Sweden. The symptoms are identical to mono: a recurring sore throat, sore glands and muscles, and fatigue. The symptoms may surface at any time but are most prominent after stress or physical exertion. Cheryl’s physician did blood work that indicated it is not mono, just some virus. The blessing was highlighted by the fact that I worked outside most of yesterday and I didn’t get fatigued. I am thankful.

Second, God blessed us at church this morning. I preached on the gifts of the Spirit as a sign of the resurrection or why we should strive after the gifts. The blessing was the altar service afterwards. Several prayed fervently for an extended period. God is at work. I am thankful.

Third, Cheryl arrived safely in New York from her trip to Scotland. I will go to New York this week to be with her and bring her home. [I guess I am not completely Wesleyan. Wesley’s wife abandoned him. He was encouraged to send for her and responded, “I did send her away and neither shall I recall her.”] I am thankful.

Finally, I performed a wedding at the Cumberland Mountain State Park this evening. It was a beautiful lakeside setting. I opened with “We are blessed to gather in this beautiful setting of God’s creation to solemnize a marriage. I remind us all that God is sovereign over and in all of His creation. Wherever we gather for the purpose that His will be known and done we assemble in a sanctuary of His creation.” I love performing weddings. They are for me a sign of the hope of our salvation. A man and a woman can enter into a covenant with God and each other to live together in a manner that fulfills God’s purpose for His creation. I am thankful

Cleveland, Tennessee
June 6, 2010
JDJ