Hi everyone! Below I have copied a letter I received from Laine's letters. I thought it was very nice, about Thanksgiving and thought some of you might appreciate her love for her family, and her heart-felt devotion to the Lord. Melissa
FROM HERE DOWN IS HER LETTER!!!
Dear Sisters,
It was a hard week last week. A lot to pray about. But our Father is
faithful, and how we need to cling to Him during the tough times, as well
as the good times. But during the tough times it is so good to nestle
with Him a bit longer, isn't it? He can take us through anything. I
happen to be one of His weakest kids, so I need Him so much. It is very
true that when we are weak, He is strong.
It is Thanksgiving week, and we have so much to be thankful for, don't
we? My mother used to tell me when times were hard for her that she only
had room for one thought at a time in her mind, and she decided she would
learn to make that a thankful thought to the LORD, rather than a fretful
or worrisome thought. She's been practicing this kind of "Thanksgiving
Thinking" for years now. Ever since I was a child. I have to say she is
one of the most thankful and joyful people I know. I absolutely love
being around her.
When our septic tank almost flooded over recently, I found myself almost
automatically thanking God for everything I could think of in this
situation. I know it is from my thanksgiving upbringing.
For when I was a child I remember the electricity being turned off at our
house. Times were hard. But Mom was thanking God that night for our
candles and how their glow made the casserole Grandma brought over look
just like pizza. She almost had me convinced it even tasted like pizza!
And when we had to live in a Volkswagen van for months and months while
sleeping at rest stops or campgrounds along the highway, I never felt
sorry for myself. How could I with a mother who saw thanksgiving in
everything. I only saw her break down once and cry because she so desired
a hot shower after being on the road so long. The rest of the time she
made us feel like we were on this incredible adventure and so fortunate
to be a part of it. We were so fortunate that even our two cats were with
us!
There is nothing like a thankful Mama in the house. Or a thankful Mama in
a Volkswagen van. For wherever my mother was that place was surely home.
"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which ye are called in
one body; and be ye thankful." Colossians 3:15
Oh, may God help me to be a thankful Mama in our house, as He has helped
my own mother.
"For in this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I am
overcome the world."
This verse is so true, isn't it? We do have tribulation in this world.
But as the LORD says, "Be of good cheer! I have overcome the world!"
"Be of good cheer!"
"Be ye thankful!"
"I have overcome the world!"
You know the verse in Proverbs that says, "It is better to live on a
corner of a roof than with a contentious woman?"
Well, it is absolutely wonderful to live inside a house, or even a van,
with a very contented woman. And without a doubt, a contented woman is a
very thankful and joyful woman.
Maybe you didn't grow up with a thankful mother. Maybe you don't know how
to be thankful, especially in tough times. Well, as my mom was telling a
friend recently who was struggling through this difficulty, "We only have
room for one thought at a time in our minds, so we do well to make it a
thankful thought to God our Father. By the time we're done thoroughly
thanking Him, things aren't as bad as we first were thinking. And then we
find ourselves rejoicing in His goodness to us."
You know what?
Mom is right.
And she didn't just thank God in the good of her life, but she also
thanked Him through the very difficult. To this day.
"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the Name
of our LORD Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:20
"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
concerning you."
1 Thessalonians 5:18
"To the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O
LORD my God, I will give thanks unto Thee for ever." Psalm 30:12
Dear sisters, a thankful Mama makes a house or a van a real home, no
matter what kind of difficulty is going on.
I know firsthand.
I choose to thank my Heavenly Father, too, in the Name of my LORD, Jesus
Christ. Even during the difficulties. Especially during the
difficulties. Praise His Holy, Holy Name!
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. May we be blessed with "Thanksgiving
Thinking" all year long to the glory and praise of our Father, and for
the joy of our dear families.
Maybe then we'll be blessed with those beautiful laugh lines around our
eyes that light up my precious mother's face.
Love,
Laine
~*~
To subscribe:
To unsubscribe:
Visit our new home on the web:
~*~
-- Melissa (cmnorris@1st.net), November 21, 2001
Sorry, the address did not come up. I was practicing with Gary's cut
and paste tip, which worked great, but evidently the address didn't
come with it. The address is: www.lainesletters.com
She used to write weekly, but is taking some time off. Her site has
all of her old letters, In My Home (things she does around the home)
and recipes. She lives in California, very christain in everything,
and has an old-fashioned attitude. She uses herbs, cooks from
scratch, and is very frugal. She has been an inspiration to me!!!
She also home-schools her children.
I am warning you, don't go to her site unless you have hours to read
all her letters. The first time I went on I read for 3 hours, I
thought my eyeballs were going to pop out of my head!!!! If you are
Christain, homesteading, frugal, home-schoolong, I can almost
guarantee you will love her, and if you aren;t you will still find
many things to admire.
-- Melissa (ME@HOME.NET), November 22, 2001.