thanksgiving and christmas...all in one weekend.

Ok so this is going to be chalk full of pictures...are you ready?  The pictures can tell everything with the captions, so gear up for LOTS of scrolling :)  This weekend has been a very full one indeed!  

Friday night: Thanksgiving at the Kings.

Saturday: Marieke and I sang for a "Tour, Tea, and Talent Show" event that HSO hosted for a local retirement home...then we went to the end of term SO party at a local resort - awesome, FREE Meditteranean food!  

Praise the Lord :)  And I was able to bring J some leftovers...

Sunday: Church and then the OSO Christmas Party.  A bunch of people were able to buy Christmas gifts for all the kids in both of the children's homes here - it was a happy chaos :)  We got a gift for one of the 2 year old girls in the Bel Air home :)

Now: blogging/Marieke is doing homework...the men are studying.  We are ready for finals to go away :)

Prepare to scroll...forever. 

Everyone patiently awaiting the feast...Natalie and Jade graciously opened their home to us!

 

 The decor! Check out the wall colors!!! :)

Delicious corn casserole courtesy of Sayeh :)

 

 My green bean casserole with homemade onion topping!!!

 

One half of the hosts :) Cutting the "turkey" [chicken]

 

How pretty is this "cranberry" [actually nutmeg - scrumptous!] sauce?? Courtesy of Sarah Glenn...

AMAZING baklava!!! Jessica did a GREAT job - everyone went back for seconds...and thirds...maybe ;) She also made delectable stuffing...

The very hungry men.

 

The very happy and successful Thanksgiving-feast-making girls :) 

Yeahhhh! FEAST!!! [Cheesy chivy mashed potatoes courtesy Marieke]

And then there was desert! The amazing baklava along with the best pumpkin pie ever, via Marieke :)

 Great times with great people :)

And now...CHRISTMAS!

The happy chaos :)

 

"Santa" - hahaha!!! Very creative though... 

This was his "smile" - what a little punk ;) 

Marieke and M - she wasn't trying to choke her...promise :)  Although she's never happy with getting homework...

Me and T :)

Cute!

Me and one of my favorite little men :)  He is such a goober though...that is NOT a real smile haha

 

Little dude with Santa - check our that beard! 

Another one of the girls from Bel Air - isn't she gorgeous??

This little one is such a cutie, and I think she knows it ;)

 

And another...

She didn't pose as well for me...I think she wanted to TAKE the picture...

And here is the result.  Oh geez ;)

T and her gift...which she insisted on putting BACK in the wrapping...silly girl!

 

"Miss! Take a picture of me!" :)  This guy is so sweet - I've only hung out with him twice [he is not at Bel Air], but he is so well mannered!

Well folks, there you have it!  The term has FLOWN by!  I can't believe all these "wrap up" events are already taking place/over!!! CRAZY!  

Hope everyones' Thanksgivings were full in the truest sense of the word.

Love to all.

εὐχαριστέω.

Eucharisteo.

1. to be grateful, feel thankful

2. give thanks

Eucharisteo is the word for thanksgiving in Greek.  It is used throughout the New Testament several times, the Last Supper being one of them.  

"Now as they were eating, Jesus took the bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." [Matthew 26:26-28]

It is interesting to note that this happened right before Jesus knew he was to be killed...nailed to a cross, taking on the sins of the world, in order to save those who belong to Him.  And yet, in the face of death, He gave thanks.

It is also used in the context of Jesus being heard by God after raising Lazarus from the dead:

"So they took away the stone.  And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me." [John 11:41-42]  

Christ gave thanks for being in communion with the Father, for the purpose of others to know Who He was, and by Whom He was sent.

We are also reminded a number of times to be thankful in all circumstances, all things, in word and in deed:

"...giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." [Ephesians 5:20]

"...give thanks in all circumstances: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." [1 Thessalonians 5:18]

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." [Colossians 3:17]

Now, I'm not even going to pretend that I studied these scriptures on thankfulness, or know the extent to which we are called to be thankful.  But I do know [from another blog post I read this morning that inspired this one] that "in that word for thanksgiving, eucharisteo, are the roots of charis, grace, and chara, joy. If you can take all as grace, give thanks for it, therein is always joy.  Eucharisteo –  grace, gratitude, joy – one word that God in flesh acted out when he took the cup."  Christ demonstrated this thanksgiving even in the very last hours before His death.  Thanksgiving isn't a one day holiday, anyone will say that...but is it true for us?  Are we thankful day in, day out? For ALL things, even the ones that seem hopelessly not according to our plans??  If we are believers, are we living in light of this truth?  Do we thank God in all circumstances, or do we pick and choose?  I want to be so full of thankfulness that whatever comes my way...hardship, happiness, trials, joys, pains, death...I am thankful.

I will just end here, because I don't have much else to say since I feel inadequate on this topic, but here is a good sum-up from that same blog [I don't want to link it because I am not entirely sure of all the content, but I have found some things to be thought provoking]:

"Gratitude, this isn’t a one-day-a-year language, but the mother-tongue of the people saved by their Father. Yet in a world that’s captivated by bad news not The Good News, that sees the wrong in everything, who daily braves the language of eucharisteo, the dialect of doxology?" 

We are called to be holy, set apart, thankful in all things...Lord, give us the grace to be this way!

Rejoice in today as in every other day: with thanksgiving to God through Christ.