As the trees shed their leaves and the days turn from warm to cool to cold we begin to think about November… the month of Thanksgiving.
Many families have long-standing Thanksgiving traditions that may be difficult to maintain this year. For many American families, the Thanksgiving tradition includes turkey, potatoes, yams, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. Maybe, like my family, everyone brings an assigned special dish to share. Parades, football and lingering conversations around the table help to make the day extra special. Perhaps you even go around the table sharing all things you are thankful for.
But this may not be your reality. Perhaps part of your family is on another continent far away. Maybe you don’t have the finances for an elaborate feast. It could be that these American traditions seem hard to grasp. Maybe your family cannot gather this year due to COVID-19 or for other reasons. Thanksgiving 2020 might be a great time to begin creating and cultivating new traditions. It can still be a time for giving thanks.
Call or Zoom or FaceTime with those special people in your life. Maybe it is someone you have not sat with for the past eight months, or for the past eight years! Make sure they know how thankful you are for them! Take time to share the blessings in your lives. Even if this has been a year of pain and challenge, I urge you to take a few minutes of quiet reflection and give God thanks for how He has sustained you and for the good in your life.
Though you have much or have little, Thanksgiving is really about those who are special in our lives! Blessing others will help you realize what you have to be thankful for. If you are struggling, please reach out to IC Compassion. We want to help make this Thanksgiving bright, and be a blessing to you and your family.
My prayer for you is from Psalms 20:4 – “May He (God) grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!”
