Happy Thanksgiving

My title is a day early but with company here much of the next 2 days it may be my only time to wish people, who may open my blog, a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.  You may say what a goofy picture to wish someone a happy Thanksgiving BUT   I view the tree as a symbol of love, hope, things past and things to come.  As I looked at this picture I could not help but think of the summer.  Things had been green, the tree had new growth and it was a thing of beauty--life sure parallels that I think.  Then the tree turns to a golden red and people forget the summer foliage and say what a thing of beauty--really it is not any more beautiful than the summer, just in a different way, kind of like life can be.  God is always with us and in us but really we need to look at ourselves in different ways at different times.  In a short time it will be bare and then people will not notice it or make any comments.  In fact they may walk or drive past and think what an ugly tree that is.  But really it is the same tree but only in a different stage.  Could we be like this tree in many ways?  Sometimes I do wonder if people look at me and put me in the "beautiful" stage (I know you can laugh if you want!) or if they put me in the ugly stage.  Whatever they may do it is only as deep as the bark, I mean skin.  Of course the next thing is the tree will change as buds come and it will again be a thing of beauty and at that point it will be bigger, stronger and perhaps more beautiful than ever before.  I hope I and you can be like that tree in some ways.  Always being the same on the inside but yet growing, changing, improving, loving God more, serving God more and being an instrument of His change here on earth.  I feel that I am a changed man over these last 15 months.  I hope I have remained the same on the inside but on the outside I hope I have become an instrument of God's kingdom here on earth more than in the past. 
Travis is coming at noon to help me a bit.  Aaron/Amy with Leo and Ruby Gail are coming this afternoon and then tomorrow we will all enjoy each other, the food and all that goes into special holidays.  Of course we will miss our Gail so much but yet will also rejoice in the knowledge that we had her with us for some many special times and were so blessed my her.  I am sure she is enjoying maybe a Thanksgiving EACH day in heaven and perhaps having something much much better than turkey and dressing!!!!
I still do not have my wireless fixed so I will take this computer out of the kitchen and may not have it set up for a couple of days. 
If you happen to read this have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day, remember where all of your blessing really come from and pray for the many many people who have so little.