Happy Thanksgiving

    God bless you and keep you. In this months Turning Points magazine and devotional by Dr. David Jeremiah he focuses on gratitude. In the article The Grace of Gratitude Dr. Jeremiah says Grace Given + Gratitude Expressed = Grace Extended. This missionary journey I've been on for the past 534 weeks has, at times, not presented easy opportunities to extend grace. Often, in prison, grace and Christlike meekness are perceived as weakness; and appearing weak while incarcerated can make you an unwitting target for physical violence, extortion, or worse.

    Relocating last year back to a state yard had the extra bonus of the introduction of the Securustech.net tablets. One of the features of the tablet is the capability to have available free faith based pod casts and Bible Teaching on a daily basis. Another is the ability to rent current theatrical released movies at the same time they are eventually released for steaming and /or DVD. While the rental price is moderate (less than the price of a real world movie ticket), it is still out of reach for many. The rental lasts for 48 hours. One easy way I've found to bless others, to extend grace, is to allow them to watch the movie on my tablet at no cost or expectation of anything in return. This seems like an easy enough transaction, but you must understand that in prison, there is almost nothing that transacts with no strings attached.     At the initial times I invited/offered to allow someone to watch a movie, on my tablet, in their own cell, by themselves (trusting them with my personally assigned equipment that cost <$250 to replace) I received several declinations. It took a lot if convincing to get them to understand that I just wanted to bless them, to extend the grace of Jesus without the expectation of anything in return. It was just incomprehensible to some of them, especially to the old timers who have been in for longer than I have. Several times I've been told that once I've been in a while I'd understand their apprehension. When I reply that I have ten calendars under my belt, they are astonished how I am not jaded and could be so kind having been locked away for so long. I take that as a compliment that they see the character, conduct, and conversation of King Jesus still reflected through me. It gives me a hopeful reassurance that as I return from my exile and find myself returned to the "real" world that I can continue to work the equation Grace Given + Gratitude Expressed = Grace Extended.

    Current movies, memes, news, songs, and videos available on our tablets help me stay up to date and ready to exit outside of these fences. I was blessed to rent and to watch Top Gun: Maverick at the beginning of the month. Watching made me nostalgic for my life before my own adulting started (1986). I think it may have been one of the last movies I watched without my former spouse. Watching Maverick made me miss my son, as Top Gun was one of his childhood favorites (along with Jurassic Park). The movie also gave me hope for a renewed relationship with my own Rooster once he gets over himself, eventually (though long delayed) goes through his own adulting, confesses his lies, turns back to the Lord, and chooses to reconcile. I earnestly believe that King Jesus is currently working on transforming his millennial entitled heart, exposing the weaponized false allegations, and that THE truth and restoration are quickly coming.     I enjoyed TG:Maverick's concept of playing dogfight football and can relate so well to it. Surviving life in prison often involves playing offense and defence at the same time. I think that's one of the reasons other inmates are often reluctant to accept an act of grace or kindness extended to them. Christlike grace and mercy throws them off of their game and they do not know how to respond. The idea of dogfight football may even carry beyond my incarceration as I have to confront those small minded, jaded, and emotionally/mentally compromised individuals who seem to be devoid of grace while having ample keyboard courage and digital rage. I hope I can emulate King Jesus as he took a knee, sketched his next touchdown play in the dirt and deflated his opponents (John 8:1-11) with extended grace and mercy.     As this is my eleventh holiday season to be warehoused, it is on this day of thanks, that I am just trying to be present in this moment. I know that my freedom is coming. My time in exile is running out, and times of restored and renewed freedoms are in store. On this day of thanks, I remember all of the great times with my family, especially growing up with such a large extended family and the love, the food, and the times we shared every Sunday at Granny and Papa's home, and especially holidays like today. I recall the 17 great years with my son and the 15 amazing years with my daughter. I think of the great holidays we spent together with our best friends enjoying playing games and working jigsaw puzzles. I fondly recollect great times of ministry and mission field work. I think I used our time wisely, but if I had known how short that time was going to be, as OneRepublic sings in TG:Maverick, I would have spent it like gold.     So, on this day of Thanksgiving, "I ain't worried 'bout it right now. I'm keepin' dreams alive, I'm Swimmin' in the floods, dancin' on the path, hero. I ain't worried 'bout it right now." Tomorrow will take care of itself. Eventually, my rooster will quit strutting around, be contrite, expose his lies and reveal the truth. I'm keeping that dream alive. One day soon my daughter will reach out and a loving relationship will be restored. I firmly declare that sooner rather than later Grace Given + Gratitude Expressed = Grace Extended. #gracias