LOVE

"The watchword for us all, no matter where God leads us, will be 'love.' Love is the one quality the world can discern that sets Christians apart & makes Christianity distinct from every other religion."   Thomas Hale, Men's Devotional Bible

LECKBAND TEMP CHALLENGE

Ratings based on wunderground.com at 7:09a (CST). Once again, Nebraska rules.

> Norfolk, NE, 15

> Beatrice, NE, 17

> Lincoln, NE, 18

> Eagan, MN, 20

> Ventura, IA, 21:  BALMIEST LECKBANDS

RESOLUTIONS CHECK

* Write a 365-day devotion book. Done.

* Average one road trip per month. Done.

* Add to our National Park & bucket list. Won't happen this year, since our Alaska trip got cancelled.

* Lost at least 10 lbs. I've lost almost 19 lbs.

* Work out at least 3X per week. I'd give myself a C-.

* No politics in my Mental Health MON blog. Except for one early slip-up, done.

* Receive a DNA report from Ancestry.com. It doesn't look promising.

* Cut back on coffee.  My goal was no more than 2 mugs per day & no coffee after noon. I'd give myself a B.

AN ADVENT PRAYER

"O Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, King of kings & Lord of lords, the Son of the living God, Son of David, come. Come now to Your Church that You have purchased with Your blood. Come with Your gracious presence, that we may rejoice in You. Come & rule over us, that we may serve & follow You. Come with Your love, humility, & perfect obedience, & let Your lowliness become our glory. Come into the midst of Your people & bless us, for we are Your heritage. Forgive us our sin, & do not angrily cast away Your servants, for You are meek & gracious. Clothe us with the garment of Your righteousness, for You are the only righteous one & our helper. Satisfy us with the abundance of Your mercy, for You did become poor for our sakes that by Your poverty we might be made rich. Hear us, Lord Jesus, for the sake of Your holy name. Amen."  Lutheran Prayer Book

BAPTISM

"How can you trust your Baptism? Because you can trust the Word of the Gospel, for 'it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes' (Rom. 1:16). And this is what He says about your Baptism:  'Baptism...now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ' (1 Peter 3:21)." Rev. Gregory Truwe, The Lutheran Witness, Sept 2020

STRENGTH

"Jesus asks nothing of us without giving us the strength to perform it. His commandment never seeks to destroy life, but to foster, strengthen & heal it."  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Men's Devotional Bible

BLACK FRIDAY & ADVENT

"The commencement of the Christmas shopping season overshadows the commencement of a far quieter season. The season of Advent signals the coming of Christmas for Christians, though not in the way that Black Friday signals the coming of the same. "Advent is about the spirituality of emptiness," writes Joan Chittister, "of enough-ness, of stripped-down fullness of soul." It is a far cry from the hustle of the holidays that is a race for storing things up. Speed-hoarding through the days of Christmas preparation, Christmas itself even becomes anticlimactic. "Long before December 25th everyone is worn out," said C.S. Lewis more than 50 years ago, "—physically worn out by weeks of daily struggle in overcrowded shops, mentally worn out by the effort to remember all the right recipients and to think out suitable gifts for them. They are in no trim for merry-making... They look far more as if there had been a long illness in the house."(1) Quite the opposite, Advent is a season meant to slow us down, to open windows of awareness and health, to trigger consciousness. It is about finding the kind of quiet and the sort of emptiness that can expectantly offer a place for the fullness of God as an infant among us . . . 

"Advent, after all, is about the riches of being empty-handed; empty-handed, so that we can fully hold the mystery before us and nothing less; empty-handed, like the God who came down from heaven without riches or power, but meek and small—and full, expectant, and enough."  Jill Carattini, Slice of Infinity

 WHAT WE'RE EATING

Yesterday for lunch I had some leftover dressing & a turkey & American cheese sandwich. Thanks to Sarah's help, we had roast beef made in our Insta-pot, which is only the 2nd or 3rd time we've used it. Tonight we're having homemade turkey noodle soup. Nobody can say that we don't know how to make use of leftover turkey

MY CHRISTMAS LIST

As usual, I've put a gun & chainsaw on my Christmas list. As usual, no one is taking me seriously. I texted my son-in-law, whom I assumed would be sympathetic, & asked if he wouldn't get me a Glock for Christmas. His reply was, "So Biden can tax it?" I responded, "Good point."

WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

We started watching our CBS.com shows earlier this week. We watch NCIS, NCIS New Orleans, Blue Bloods, Seal Team, FBI, & FBI Most Wanted. We'll also start watching the new season of The Crown. I've also been watching Mark Bishop Presents, Minty Comedic Arts, 10 Things You Didn't Know About . . .  on You Tube. If you're a movie fan, check it out.

ROAD TRIPS

Lois reserved our favorite house in Omaha for our annual Family Reunion with the kids & grand-kids. This year it will be in June. We found out that MN is restricting households to immediate families only, so we might not be able to visit Nathan, Laura, Calvin & Claire in JAN. We may have a hard time averaging one road trip per month in 2021.

A LECKBAND THANKSGIVING

This hasn't been our typical Thanksgiving. In the past we've had all our children & grand-children with us, & we've celebrated Christmas. This year Craig our son-in-law was absent. He's in Texas for Nebraska Air National Guard training. Our son Nathan, our daughter-in-law Laura, Calvin & Claire stayed home because of COVID. (None of them have it. They're just playing it safe.) They had their own Thanksgiving celebration last night in Eagan, MN. It would have been our first Thanksgiving/Christmas with Claire, who was born last January.

We enjoyed our traditional Thanksgiving dinner yesterday:  roast turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy (Rachel made the mashed potatoes.), Lois' world famous dressing, green been casserole, corn with cream cheese, sweet potato casserole (I personally abhor sweet potatoes), crescent rolls & butter, & Rachel's pumpkin dessert, which took the place of our usual pumpkin, pecan, & apple pies.

Tonight we'll have Christmas. We have presents for Brianna, Hadley, & Bentley.

TRENDING

* "Supreme Court blocks NY from enforcing COVID limits on churches."  Drudge Report, 11/26

* "Cambridge uni students strip naked for 'best bum' competition."  Ditto

* "STUDY:  Cynics more likely to have heart disease."  Ditto

* "Wiping down groceries? Experts say keep risk in perspective."  Ditto

* "Democrats warn that excessive thankfulness may lead to conservatism."  Babylon Bee

* "State governor frees all drug dealers to provide prison space for families celebrating Thanksgiving."  Ditto

* "After fending off pandemic challenger, Planned Parenthood retains title for most Americans killed in 2020."  Ditto

* "Liberals urge nation to respect minorities' opinions until those opinions contradict them."  Ditto

* Ocasio-Cortez desperately trying to make math work on universal healthcare add up while punching numbers into a potato."  Ditto

SUFFERING & GRATITUDE

"Christians take a distinctly radical view: that suffering is neither an evil to be evaded nor a punishment handed out routinely, like some kind of divine speeding ticket, but something to be entered into willingly in order to become not godlike but more fully and more perfectly human. We learn to be grateful not only for the alleviation of suffering but for the suffering itself — that, too, is a gift. We discover ultimate gratitude when we discover the Ultimate Object of our gratitude. Learning that ultimate gratitude does not necessarily mean wandering around the desert in a supernatural daze, though that has worked for many great men in the past. Some of them even sought out such a wild place as Massachusetts, landing there in the winter in rickety boats, like madmen. They went ashore and gave thanks to God.

"We need not go so far, and, besides, we have business to attend to here at home, to which our attention is likely to be enforced for a few more months. Gratitude may not make us saints, but it should leave us cheerful, useful, modest, and patient, and ever mindful of those gifts and blessings that we could not possibly hope to deserve."  Kevin Williamson, National Review Online, 11/26

THANKSGIVING IS NOT A LIE

"We live in a time of heedless iconoclasm, and so one of the country’s oldest traditions is under assault. Thanksgiving is increasingly portrayed as, at best, based on falsehoods and, at worst, a whitewash of genocide against Native Americans . . . 

"If we didn’t have such a day — to stop and express gratitude to our Creator, to be thankful for the abundance of this great land, to gather with friends and family — we really would have to invent it."  Rich Lowry, NRO, 11/26

THE COST OF THANKSGIVING

"Put differently, the total Thanksgiving Day dinner bill in the United States fell, even though the U.S. population increased. With every hungry mouth comes a pair of hands and a brain capable of invention and innovation. So, on this Thanksgiving Day, let us be thankful for all the American inventors and innovators who enrich our lives with plentiful food and, hopefully, a cure for the COVID-19 pandemic."  Marian Tupy,

GIVING THANKS

"Finally, let's give thanks for this wonderful country we live in and the generous people within it. We just experienced a terrible year. Tragedy, deaths, the pandemic and political fights tore us apart. And yet, through it all, through yelling and screaming, through the many tears shed, it's important to recognize all of the remarkable acts of charity and love that fellow Americans have shown one another: young people delivering food to elderly neighbors housebound by the virus, breweries making hand sanitizers for their consumers and communities, church volunteers feeding the poor, donors filling the coffers of thousands of charitable organizations devoted to those in need.

"America's civil society is like no other that I know of. Americans are the most generous people in the world. And I, for one, am grateful to live in such a place and call it home. I hope you are, too. Happy Thanksgiving!" Veronique de Rugy, Townhall, 11/26

LINCOLN'S PROCLAMATION

"Today, the words Lincoln wrote in his proclamation seem fitting: "(F)ervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union."  Jackie Gingrich Cushman, Townhall, 11/26

OUR DAILY BREAD

"Our Father who art in heaven, give us this day ur daily bread. Dear Lord, God & Father, grant us Your blessing in our temporal & physical life. Graciously grant us blessed peace. Protect us against war & disorder. Grant to our president success against our enemies. Grant Him wisdom & understanding to administer his duties & office in peace & happiness. Grant to all elected & appointed leaders good counsel & the ability to protect this land & this people in tranquility & justice. Especially aid & guide the governor of this state, under whose protection You have sheltered us, so being protected against all harm, the administration may be blessed & we can live free from evil & disloyal people. Grant grace to all the people to serve our leaders loyally & obediently. Grant to all of us diligence in our vocation & charity in our dealings with one another. Grant us favorable weather & good harvest. I commend to You my house & home, spouse & children. Help me to manage my household well & support & educate my children as a Christian should. Defend us from the destroyer & his wicked angels, who work against us, looking for every opportunity to harm us & cause mischief in this life. Amen."  Lutheran Book of Prayer 

THANKSGIVING DAY

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good & His mercy endures forever. Lord God, heavenly Father, You have created me & endowed me with all that I am or have as a pure gift of Your 'fatherly, divine goodness & mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me.' You sustain me from day to day with the gift of daily bread in the food that I eat, the family that surrounds me, the friends I enjoy, the country where I live, & countless other benefits that I constantly receive from Your open hand. On this Day of Thanksgiving, cause me to gratefully remember the good gifts that You shower upon me. Deepen in me the knowledge of Your goodness, & awaken my heart to praise You for all of Your gifts, especially the forgiveness of sins that You have purchased & won for me & the whole world in the atoning death of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Keep me mindful of Your mercies every day, & grant that I may thank, praise, serve, & obey You not only with my lips but also with a life dedicated to the service of my neighbor. To You, O Lord, Father, Son, & Holy Spirit, be all honor & glory, praise & thanksgiving now & forever. Amen."  Lutheran Book of Prayer

APPRECIATION

"With a heart full of appreciation because of Your goodness & with thanksgiving in my soul for Your boundless grace, I come on this national day of thanksgiving, God of loving-kindness & mercy, to join with heart & voice all the people of this country to praise & adore You as a wonderful God & understanding Father in Christ Jesus. Throughout the year You have opened Your hands & poured out on me blessing after blessing. You have provided me with all that I need to sustain body & life. You have opened Your heart & drawn me closer to Yourself, blotted out all my sin cleansed my conscience from guilt, & spoken peace to my heart. Richly & abundantly You have offered to me Gospel & Sacrament, that my soul be healed, my faith strengthened, my character developed, & my life directed. Accept the thanks & praise of my grateful heart. I sing of Your goodness, I shout for joy because of Your mercies. Let my thanksgiving, however, go beyond words & give evidence in the sharing of my blessing with the hungry, the needy, the lonely. Give me the grace to continue to praise You as a thankful child of Your love  with all the family of Your household to serve You with faithfulness & loyal devotion through Jesus, my Savior & Friend. Amen."  My Prayer Book

COVID

"The backlash is coming. It already seems clear that the first major political and cultural eruption of the Biden years will be a roiling populist backlash against the next round of COVID restrictions.

"We saw this sentiment play out in sporadic anti-lockdown demonstrations last spring, and it has driven ongoing resistance to masks, but it is, in all likelihood, about to reach an entirely new level — fueled by exhaustion with the virus, elite hypocrisy, and the shattered credibility of the public-health establishment.

"The ascension of Joe Biden will add force to the reaction. It is an iron law of American politics that whichever party doesn’t control the presidency will suspect the other of plotting to impose a tyranny, so the fear and loathing of COVID restrictions, somewhat muted on the right while Donald Trump was president, will deepen and intensify."  Rich Lowry, National Review Online

"I have never thought that opposing mask mandates was a hill to die on, as the interference on personal liberty is relatively minimal. But I don’t think that universal mandates are justified empirically or worth the adverse political ramifications they cause.

"Mandates should require scientific certainty of efficacy, clear demonstration of need, and an unequivocal showing that no less-intrusive practicable means exists to accomplish the public-health goal. Orders requiring constant masking have not met this burden."  Wesley Smith, NRO

"Belgian police will knock on doors at Christmas to enforce coronavirus rules."  Drudge Report, 11/24

THANKSGIVING

"Thus the next aspect of constitutional gratitude is twofold: to commit ourselves to reforming and improving that which we’ve been given — but only when we can say in good faith, and on reflection, that we have learned from experience how to reform and improve it."  Yuval Levin & Adam J. White, NRO

"Millions stick to Thanksgiving travel plans."  Drudge, 11/24

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

"Starving Venezuelan prisoners kill, eat prison director's Rottweiler."  Drudge, 11/24  

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