Psalm 100

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
²     Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
³ Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his^[a];
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

This morning I feel especially grateful.  I have so much to be thankful for!  I am thankful for the blessing that are so easy to take for granted—air conditioning, food to eat, a comfortable place to work.  And, so much more is on my mind…

I am grateful for Pastor Tim.  Though he has left us, he has blessed my life in many ways over the years, and I cannot help but continue to give thanks to God for his life!

I am thankful for a new National Holiday, Juneteenth.  Celebrating the end of slavery is important, and along with continued work for justice, can help bring some healing to all of our lives. After all, ending slavery wasn’t only about freeing slaves, it was about freeing all of us, and I am grateful to that our country has chosen to celebrate the end of oppression—it is an important step forward toward a beloved community.

I am thankful for vaccines, and the impact vaccinations are having on the pandemic.  Next Sunday, masks will be optional in worship—a huge step in our reopening.  This step is possible because of the many people who have been vaccinated, and I am grateful!

I am thankful for Church camp!  My youngest children are at Potosi Pine Camp this week for Senior High Camp (Jeremiah is working there this summer).  It has been wonderful to see their excitement about being able to return to camp.  I know they will have a blessed experience, and for that I am grateful!

I am also thankful for time with my wife Geri.  With her retirement, she is home more, and daily I can see her “unwinding.”  Now, with the kids at camp, we have a few days to ourselves.  This is not something that happens often for us, and I am grateful for the time.

I am also thankful for church, for being able to see you in person, and for being able to raise our voices in praise to God.  Psalm 100 reminds us that we enter into God’s presence with praise and thanksgiving.  As I offer my prayers of Thanksgiving this morning, I am very much aware of the presence of God in my life, even in this moment, which gives me all the more reason to be thankful!

What are you thankful for today?  Take a moment to offer your thanksgiving to God.

Thank you, God, for the blessings of this day!  Amen.

I hope to see you in church!  Pastor Dave