Pardons for Turkeys

It is that most wonderful time of year again -- the best holiday of the year as far as I am concerned -- yes it's Thanksgiving.  Turkey Day as I (and I'm sure many others) like to call it is a great time to celebrate the four Fs that make my life merely complete: Faith, Family, Food, and of course, Football (NFL-style that is).

I have no doubt that I will spend much time with each of these during this wonderful civic holiday which fits so nicely into my calendar year.  Yet as I think about what it means to be thankful, I realize just how much ingratitude I show my Lord and Savior throughout the year and this thought bothers me a bit.

I don't always live out my faith the way I should.  My Gospel proclamations get compromised for the sake of social acceptance.  My Christ-like nature is quickly replaced with petty anger or self-righteousness.  As a Christian, I find myself walking the ground like a turkey rather than soaring on wings like eagles.

Fortunately however, I do have a saving grace.  Just like the lucky official presidential turkeys, I have been pardoned.  I have been set free and can start each new day with a fresh start, a clean slate if you will.  The purchase price of this Pardon was high - Christ's death on the cross, but as the song goes, "because He lives, I can face tomorrow."

Remembering this pardon causes me to be all the more thankful for the opportunity I have to share the Good News and it is a pardon I hope all of you will get to experience.  Happy Thanksgiving to all you Turkeys like me out there.