I'm thankful for the dumbest bird God created.....Turkeys.

There are only a few occasions when thanksgiving isn't that great. First is when you get assigned to be a Pilgrim instead of an Indian. Face it, Pilgrims are lame. The hats are embarrassing and you can't really spice up black and white. Indian's on the other hand, are much more fun. You get to wear feathers and decorate your own vest made from a brown Krogers Bag. It can have hand prints, and deer, and buffaloes, and bows and arrows. And you can't argue that Runs Like the Wind and Squatting Dog aren't much cooler Thanksgiving names than Jedidiah and Esther. Thanksgiving also isn't that great on islands.

Thanksgiving is a great holiday because there is no pressure. You don't have to buy any presents or decorate the house or tree. You don't have to wear a certain color scheme. The Iron Bowl is only two days away. You can eat more on that day than is physically possible on any other day. And then, you get to nap. Not because you are lazy, but because it is a fact that turkey has sleep medicine in it (please comment with name of that drug). Also, its always on a Thursday, so you take Friday off of work and you get a 4 day weekend, getting Wednesday off too is even better (important to note that in the hotel industry, you don't get extra days off, only your scheduled days).

I spent my Thanksgiving Day on Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands. Kind of ironic that most of my day was spent in a country that doesn't celebrate the holiday. After that I had dinner at Maho and the food was great and abundant. Friday went sailing in the Thanksgiving Day Regatta out of Coral Bay which was nice, but even after spending two days on the water and on beaches I'd give it up to be in Kentucky with family.

I have held on with one foot in the world for far too long. While maintaining this slight grip, it has hindered my growth in the Lord. This is not to say that I have not been changed or that I have not progressed, because i certainly have and am thankful for it, but i cannot help but think where i would be had i released completely sooner. There are a few reasons i feel i maintained my grip.

First, a fear that i would become irrelevant in the sense of no longer getting it like an unhip parent of sorts. I held onto a false assumption that if I did not keep just a foot in, that I would all of a sudden lose my ability to understand those who remain. As long as i still had issues, i would be able to relate. As long as i could relate, it would prevent me from becoming judgmental which leads to my second reasoning.

Second, a fear that i would become judgmental. I feared that if i did not hold on to a least a few small things by keeping a foot in there that I would become a judging Christian who looked down on others, that i would lose my ability to love them and to care. Once i was out, wouldn't it be easier to condemn those who were still there or were struggling with something? I was afraid I would become unsympathetic. Many are hurt by the judgments of those who have no right to the gavel, and that is a problem the church has had historically. I want no such gavel.

I am anxious to move forward as i feel a burden has been lifted and I can move faster and wiser toward the man i will be.

Its a Dogs Life.......seriously

I've been starting a youth group here on St. John. We do a bible study every Wednesday at Ronnie's Pizza. Last week i informed my group that we would be doing some sort of community service as a group, although no one would be required to help. James 2:18 "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do."

I said we can raise money for a charity, we can clean up something for someone, we can feed people who need feeding. We can do anything you want as long as it is not for ourselves. They seemed skeptical at first, until they had something to go with. They chose raising money for the ACC (Animal Care Center). The ACC for the last few months has been extremely low on cash. They have too many animals and not enough money for an employee, food, or utilities. If they run out of money they will have to put down all of the kitties and puppies.

Now i know that most youth groups in the states would chosen starving children, or disaster area like New Orleans, or money for missionaries. But this is St. John, and we've got our own drum beat. This is what is important to the kids and its great that they are willing to put forth the effort. We will be having a bake sale on Sat Nov. 22nd (location TBD) to raise money. They are going to bake and get others from the church to donate edibles to sell as well. I'm glad they chose something they care about. Even the boys are baking and making lemonade. This is going to be a good year.