"Mom, come quick! There's a TURKEY in our back yard!" Now on Thanksgiving Day, all turkeys are supposed to be roasting in ovens, not relaxing in your back yard! I could not believe my eyes! For there was not one, but TWO, turkeys prancing around behind the trees, having a field day. My husband wondered if they had escaped from someone's oven. We had no idea where they came from or where they were going--they eventually flew away--but they sure made our day! Hope you had some smiles on your Thanksgiving Day too!

Now "turkey" is a sensitive, historical word at Peggie's Place. Two years ago, in the month of February, when taking a "Pot of Pastors" guest into my downstairs office, we passed the seldom-used fridge in the kitchen area. A little sniffing and I knew there was a problem, so I gingerly opened the refrigerator door, with my guest right behind me. Inside sat the carcass of a turkey, left there to prepare after-CHRISTMAS soup--and completely forgotten!

I'll leave it to your fine senses to imagine the smell--and the laughter which has never stopped to this day. For you see, not the guest but THIS transparent woman told it to the rest of her Pot of Pastor friends who have never let her forget it. I am now known as the turkey queen, and NO persuasion will ever get ONE of them to taste a turkey dinner at Peggie's REAL Place....I have no idea why....

Turkey talk for me is fun--most days--and I enjoy being teased. BUT there is a limit. For there are days when *I* feel like a turkey, and then it's no fun at all! Do you ever have days like that? As we digest our Thanksgiving dinners, now that I've made you lose your appetite, won't you come with me to the Well, and see what GOD thinks about "turkeys?" He DOES have a sense of humor, you know, and I DO believe He smiles as He sees you coming by...

A Helping Word...or Two!

God loves me--when I act like a turkey!

THE HEEL STUFF!

There are days when I have it all together--I cook well, I take care of my family, my web page works fine, I remember to do the laundry--and I smile. There are OTHER days when I lose it--everything I touch goes wrong or breaks; everything I do falls apart or messes up. I do dumb things; I forget to do other things. I feel like a HEEL--and act like one too! It is the typical "Alexander's Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day," a delightful preschool book. I tell myself I am completely incompetent, totally worthless, and may as well hide under the bed until "tomorrow morning." Ever been there?

God has...He has been there WITH you and knows all about your bad day. He knows the faults and failures of life. He knows when we've blown it and then hammered ourselves down to the ground for blowing it. He lovingly picks us up, enfolds us in His loving care, and says, "You're tired...Take some time off; let ME refresh you." Time off may be a few moments in His Word, in His presence--perhaps playing a praise CD. It may be to see a fun movie, a shopping trip, a chocolate ice cream treat....Whatever it is, LISTEN to your heart--AND God's--KNOW that you are NOT a turkey! You're just tired and worn out! Let the LORD revive your weary spirit and tired body. For "they that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like EAGLES"--NOT turkeys! Believe it! You're NOT a turkey--you are God's CHILD and He loves you!

God loves me--when I feel like a turkey!

THE FEEL STUFF!!

After you've DONE your "turkey thing," be sure the feelings will follow. Sadness, low self-worth, loss of self-esteem, discouragement, despair. We are emotional creatures--the soul which Christ has saved is still a very human soul with very human emotions. Sometimes those emotions range from the very depressed to the very angry--and what IS depression but STUFFED anger! Recognize it and you're already on your way out of the turkey farm! Ever been there?

God has...He has been there with you. And now He has a solution. He wants you to pick yourself up off the ground and face up to your feelings--not deny them! Don't pick up the pain--take it to the foot of the Cross and leave it there. It's there that Jesus Himself has "borne our griefs and carried our sorrow"--but we must LEAVE it there. He understands every negative emotion that turns us into weeping willows--or mad hatters--but we must LEAVE it there. And when we learn that amazing truth, and appropriate His amazing grace, the dark feelings will leave. For we are not turkeys...we are made in the image of God and He loves us!

God loves me--and I'm NOT a turkey!

The REAL STUFF!!

When I act like a turkey, when I feel like a turkey, when I'm sure I AM a turkey, it's not over. It's only the beginning, for it is in those crazy moments of our own humanity, that we recognize the REAL person we can be in Christ Jesus. Where in the world do we learn to be that person? In God's true and living Word! As we assimilate it and make it a part of our souls and spirits, God brings it to our remembrance. Perhaps it will be in a song, a special Scripture verse--an email from a friend. God has innumerable ways to send us HIS truth--the truth which changes us from turkeys to TREASURES of the living God. It's not a one-time event; it's a lifetime of living in God's Word, and it works! I challenge you to make God's Word your true life support--it's the REAL stuff that makes the "turkey" go away!

Do *I* ever feel like a turkey? You'd better believe it--how do you think this devotional was born! On the TURKEY farm, down in the dirt, berating myself for mistakes, bereaving myself for hurts, believing lies of the devil...and then LEARNING how much God loves me; how very dear I am to Him and to His cause. RISING from the pit to praise the Lord--and to tell you that YOU are not a turkey either-- you're going to make it, whether it's Thanksgiving Day or EVERY day--for you are a CHILD of the KING! He loves you and will help you.....signed, the Turkey Queen!

...and that's just a thought or two--from my heart to yours!

His Healing Words

Psalm 103

"Lord, thanks for Your everlasting patience with the "turkey" in me. There are days...but I need not recite them for You know them all. Help me to rely on the truth of your Word and not grovel in the dirt--when I can live like a child of the Most High King, Whose I am and Whom I serve. In Jesus' Name. Amen."

Please e-mail me to say hi--and sign my guestbook too!
Thanks for visiting a place where "Christians aren't perfect; they're just forgiven!"
Have a great day serving the Lord!

Leftover Thanksgiving links--there's leftover turkey, so why not!

First of all, meet the REST of the turkeys--
my wonderful Pot of Pastors friends!

See Peggie Breaks for November
with many Thanksgiving links!

All About Thanksgiving--Debbie and family!

Annie's Thanksgiving Page

Thanksgiving at Barbara's Home!

Thanksgiving at the Sawhooks--Georgia--and a wonderful pastor's family

Thanksgiving (from Priscilla & Aquila Ministries)

Thanksgiving on the Farm--Karissa's Farm!

When The Sun Didn't Rise--devotional by A/G Pastor Rutherford, Orange, CA

Gobble It Up: Kaplan's Turkey on the Web!

Heather's Happy Thanksgiving!

Honeysuckle White Turkey

A place to enjoy other devotionals!

I'm blessed with a wonderful "virtual web family," many close friends who not only help to keep me sane and smiling, but write wonderful devotionals. Enjoy their spiritual insights--and their sites as well!

With thanks to Gilberto Barreto for the beautiful music playing at Peggie's Place. His original composition is entitled, "I Love You, Jesus."

Peggie's Place banner was "Made in Hawaii"
compliments of my friend Madelein of His Praise Maui!

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