Thank A Saint Day

There is still a half bag of chocolate candy in the pantry, left over from last evening's parade of neighborhood children knocking at our door.  When three actually-very-polite junior highers rang the bell at almost 8.30, the streets dark and the air in the frigid 30s, Bill lightened our remaining supply with huge handfuls into their bags.

Last night was Halloween, which historically was the "hallowed eve," that is, before America saw a great opportunity to sell more candy.  The hallowed eve is the eve of the holy, the night before All Saints Day, designed to commemorate the faithful people who have gone before us, those who have blazed the trails and shown us what following Christ looks like in real life.  This morning, all masks are off.

Think about the saints in your life, their stories, their writings, their witness, their journeys, their faithfulness no matter where God placed them.   Think about those amazing -- and very real-- people who have made a mark in your own life.  I have a shelves of underlined books that have helped me immensely through the years to point me to Jesus.  I have strong memories of those unsung --mostly unknown-- spiritual heroes in my life who showed me how to walk with Jesus, who prayed for me (even before I was born), who were faithful to God in what only appeared to be insignificant times and even when they thought no one was watching.

And if they are still alive, thank the saints in your life in some way today:  a written note, a phone call, a text, even praying for them.  Today, you are the CEO:  the Chief Encouragement Officer.  As the late Oswald Chambers (one of those on my list of departed saints) stated:  God rarely allows a person to see how great a blessing he is to others.

But we have the opportunity to let them know today, to encourage, to honor, to show them our gratefulness for their lives and their ongoing relationship with God. "God has used you incredibly in my life."

Therefore,
    encourage one another
and build one another up,
just as you are doing.

               1 Thessalonians 5. 11