photo credit here

As I studied on how to introduce this week’s topic on heaven, I kept smelling turkey.


Thanksgiving turkey.


Now, with the holiday only a week away, this might not surprise you.
Most of us have plans to loosen our belts a bit next Thursday, to fellowship with loved ones  over heaping helpings of  favorite foods.  Every year, we designate this day on the calendar to be with family, to watch football, and to indulge in second helpings of pumpkin pie. 


Yet … if we really stop to consider the purpose of the holiday, if we study its name, that word we say  in reference to it, many of us would find that the majority of the time we spend on that day is not concerned with “giving thanks.”


This isn’t meant to point fingers, for I have certainly been guilty of pursuing a sugar coma above a heart of gratitude on Thanksgiving Day.  It’s simply a timely way to remind us that  the words that we assign things often fail:  that, quite often, we don’t say what
we mean.


Take death, for instance …


Certainly death has a clinical definition:  the stoppage of breath; the cessation of heart beat, of brain function.


Yet, for the believer,  where science leaves off is just the beginning.  If we believe scripture to be true, then the way this world defines “alive” and “dead” ought to ring false in our ears.


Consider, for example, the words of Paul, in 2 Corinthians 5: 6-8:

d-e-a-d?


to Sonya and Drason, it’s a four-letter word.


because their son?


he’s  fully alive.

 



As promised in Bane’s birthday post, we will be including a giveaway at the end of each post in our “7 Days of Heaven”series.  


Today’s gift?  A book that has been resting on the Beasleys’ nightstand for weeks, bringing rest to their souls as they yearn for heaven.


Though Have Heart was written from the perspective of grieving parents, its truths speak to all who have loved ones in heaven.  Enter to win it for yourself or give it as a gift to someone you love.


To enter today’s giveaway, you may do any (or all) of the things listed below.  Simply leave a comment letting us know that you have completed one (or more, if you so choose) of the options listed below.  For each option in the list below that you complete, you should leave a separate comment, which will allow you multiple chances to win  — up to seven entries total.  Contest closes Tuesday, November 23, 2010, at midnight, CST.  Winner will be selected randomly and announced on Wednesday, November 24.

1. 1. Leave a comment sharing with us: what helps you “have heart” when you are discouraged?  It might be a favorite scripture or quote, a favorite friend or loved one who you call, an entire chocolate cake (oops.  that was mine.)
2. 2. Follow this blog by RSS feed, Google Friend Connect (in the left sidebar), or by email.
3. 3. Grab our “Where is Bane?” button from the sidebar and post it to your blog or Facebook page.
4. 4. “Like” Banebow on Facebook.
5. 5. Follow keLi  on Twitter.
6. 6. Tweet about this giveaway.
7. 7.Mention this contest and link back to this site in a blog post.

 
***WINNER UPDATE***

We used Random.org to randomly select the giveaway winner …
(drumroll please… )

Result: 9   Powered by RANDOM.ORG

 purango said…

My sister helps me have heart when I am discouraged. garrettsambo@aol.com

November 23, 2010 11:58 PM

Please send an email with your mailing address to banebow at gmail.com so we can arrange delivery of your prize.