Remembrance Sunday and Beyond

From 17 November:

Well, good news I think. This past Sunday was Remembrance Sunday, we had a good service at our church and I hope others did as well. Once the services were over many of us met at the Brechin War Memorial to show our thankfulness for the sacrifices that were made so we can enjoy the freedoms we too often take for granted. I am encouraged that this year seemed a bit better attended. Something to be thankful for in my opinion.

Speaking of being thankful, you will know by now that my favourite holiday of the year is Thanksgiving which I have celebrated all my life and was not going to give up just because I moved to Brechin, the other American holidays were ok to give up but no chance with my Thanksgiving. I just love my turkey and stuffing but most of all my pumpkin pie with squirty cream. It is also my annual reminder that I have family and friends and that we are blessed. OH boy are we blessed. We just seem to forget it. I love the ‘occupy’ this, that or the other place all around the world. Sure we all want more, sure most of us are in the 99% they keep shouting about, but the reality is that we really are in the 1% in the world despite our whinging and grousing about.

So here I my time to reflect on my idea of poverty—being me not having as much as I want—and realizing that in the end I am really blessed more than I deserve compared to so many. I am reminded as well that I am to be thankful for what God has done in my life, not to make God do more for me, but just because I am blessed. The Psalms express over and over the glory of God in the creation we live in. 1 Chronicles 16:8-12 says: “Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore! Remember His marvellous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgements of His mouth…” 

In the New Testament we are reminded that we are to be thankful for the people God puts in our lives. So many times Paul expresses in his letters his thankfulness that he lifts to God for folk that have been in his life. We also have little to fear and so are told in Phillipians 4:6 ‘to be fearful in nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to let our requests be made known to God’

So aye time for thankfulness and so far this week I am thankful for more folk showing up to be thankful for freedom bought on the battlefields of the past and present. 

More thanksgiving to come,

Rev. Jon Bergen