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11-21-2007, 10:23 AM
A Day of Thanksgiving!, by Skye Noe
As the holiday season approaches I get excited! The thrill of families
coming together, enjoying great food, cooler weather, long held
traditions, and, of course, great food, is the recipe for my perfect
time of year. There are so many traditions and rituals taking place
during the holidays it can be difficult to tell one year from the next.
The same family members eat the same meals, discussing the same issues,
around the same table. Only when something changes or a new tradition
is born does the year stick out clear in my memory. A year I will never
forget was not long ago when a new tradition was started. On
Thanksgiving Day as all the family gathered around the dinner table, it
was suggested that we each share the things we are thankful for. I had
seen other families practice similar traditions, but this was the first
time I was asked to share my list of blessings aloud.
As I went to work compiling my list of things to be thankful for, I
started to feel a little embarrassed. How is it that all the
Thanksgiving Day’s of my past had come and I had forgotten to actually
give thanks? Then I realized just how long of a list I was going to
have! A scripture came to mind …
Call out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. Be glad as you serve
the Lord. Come before Him with songs of joy. Know that the Lord is
God. It is He who made us, and not we ourselves. We are His people
and the sheep of His field. Go into His gates giving thanks and
into His holy place with praise. Give thanks to Him. Honor His
name. For the Lord is good. His loving-kindness lasts forever. And
He is faithful to all people and to all their children-to-come (Psalm
100).
I’ll never forget the feelings of thankfulness I felt on that day. A
great tradition had been born.
What better time to remember our blessings than on a holiday that was
meant for giving thanks.
It can be difficult at times for us to see God’s blessings; the
holidays are not always full of good memories. People are forced to
deal with tragedies and struggles even on holidays. In difficult times
it’s important to remember that “the Lord is God ... We are His people
and the sheep of his field.” We can be assured of God’s love for us and
find comfort in his blessing. In hard times or times of blessing, we
are never without thankfulness. We all need an occasional reminder to
stop and thank God for his goodness. What better time to remember our
blessings than on a holiday that was meant for giving thanks.
As the holiday season approaches I get excited! The thrill of families
coming together, enjoying great food, cooler weather, long held
traditions, and, of course, great food, is the recipe for my perfect
time of year. There are so many traditions and rituals taking place
during the holidays it can be difficult to tell one year from the next.
The same family members eat the same meals, discussing the same issues,
around the same table. Only when something changes or a new tradition
is born does the year stick out clear in my memory. A year I will never
forget was not long ago when a new tradition was started. On
Thanksgiving Day as all the family gathered around the dinner table, it
was suggested that we each share the things we are thankful for. I had
seen other families practice similar traditions, but this was the first
time I was asked to share my list of blessings aloud.
As I went to work compiling my list of things to be thankful for, I
started to feel a little embarrassed. How is it that all the
Thanksgiving Day’s of my past had come and I had forgotten to actually
give thanks? Then I realized just how long of a list I was going to
have! A scripture came to mind …
Call out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. Be glad as you serve
the Lord. Come before Him with songs of joy. Know that the Lord is
God. It is He who made us, and not we ourselves. We are His people
and the sheep of His field. Go into His gates giving thanks and
into His holy place with praise. Give thanks to Him. Honor His
name. For the Lord is good. His loving-kindness lasts forever. And
He is faithful to all people and to all their children-to-come (Psalm
100).
I’ll never forget the feelings of thankfulness I felt on that day. A
great tradition had been born.
What better time to remember our blessings than on a holiday that was
meant for giving thanks.
It can be difficult at times for us to see God’s blessings; the
holidays are not always full of good memories. People are forced to
deal with tragedies and struggles even on holidays. In difficult times
it’s important to remember that “the Lord is God ... We are His people
and the sheep of his field.” We can be assured of God’s love for us and
find comfort in his blessing. In hard times or times of blessing, we
are never without thankfulness. We all need an occasional reminder to
stop and thank God for his goodness. What better time to remember our
blessings than on a holiday that was meant for giving thanks.