Altoona's beauty is just one thing for which we can be thankful.This is a view gazing down the horseshoe curve valley.
For what do you have to be thankful? For what does our country have to be thankful? But here's the real question: For what does Altoona have to be thankful?
If you've met very many young people from Altoona & talked at any length about their feelings for their native city, you'll find one thing to be fairly true: they don't have many good things to share about Altoona! I remember one conversation that a good friend of mine had with a former resident of Altoona. It seemed that the person complained incessantly ... "people from Altoona are fat, people from Altoona are under educated, people from Altoona use bad English, people from Altoona are lazy, Altoona is an ugly city, Altoona is depressing" ... and the list went on and on.
The Word of God heavily warns us about the dangers of "ungratefulness". Not being thankful for what we've been given is listed as one of the signs of the absence of God's Holy Spirit & of the end of all things. On the contrary the presence of thankfulness is commanded and is a sign of the Spirit's working in our hearts ... consider the following passages:
If you've met very many young people from Altoona & talked at any length about their feelings for their native city, you'll find one thing to be fairly true: they don't have many good things to share about Altoona! I remember one conversation that a good friend of mine had with a former resident of Altoona. It seemed that the person complained incessantly ... "people from Altoona are fat, people from Altoona are under educated, people from Altoona use bad English, people from Altoona are lazy, Altoona is an ugly city, Altoona is depressing" ... and the list went on and on.
The Word of God heavily warns us about the dangers of "ungratefulness". Not being thankful for what we've been given is listed as one of the signs of the absence of God's Holy Spirit & of the end of all things. On the contrary the presence of thankfulness is commanded and is a sign of the Spirit's working in our hearts ... consider the following passages:
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people." 2Timothy 3:1-5This Thanksgiving season I've been blown away by how much we have to be thankful for here in Altoona & all of central Pennsylvania ... Let me share a few things for which I am thankful:
"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 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 3:15-17
- I am thankful for the physical beauty of our area.
- I am thankful for our rich railroad heritage.
- I am thankful for the many God-fearing churches that we have in our area.
- I am thankful that, unlike many parts of the world, the gospel is preached in Altoona.
- I am thankful for the many people I know in Altoona (in spite of their faults).
- I am thankful that God allowed Altoona to be created for HIS glory and purpose.
- I am thankful that God has called me back to this place to minister.
- Pray that God would allow people in Altoona & Central PA to have hearts full of thanks.
- Pray that the Lord would do away with all bitterness, or ungratefulness we may have in our hearts.
- Pray that God would show you what you should be thankful for.
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