Give Thanks

I think I even like Thanksgiving better than Christmas! It has more of a "togetherness" feel for me, and not too much hustle and bustle that often surrounds Christmastime. And fall is just my favorite season...I love the sounds, sights, smells, weather. I miss watching American football too. There's plenty of football here, just not the American kind. This is going to be quick, because I have to hurry home and bake an apple pie and make deviled eggs! But I wanted to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving, and let you know I'm very thankful for your thoughts and prayers and your generosity in so many ways. I have so much to be thankful for this year! I am truly blessed!

I miss spending this holiday at home, with family and friends, and fun times. But we're celebrating here too! I'm headin' over to a friends house tonight, where 40 of us are gathering and enjoying a huge feast of foods from all over! To say I'm excited is an understatement. James has had 3 LIVE turkeys running around his compound all week. Ha! Not live anymore. My friend, Jennifer helped me make my very first apple pie from scratch last night. I never realized how time-consuming pies are! But lots of fun to make. We actually had school today, but just for a half day. My kids learned about William Bradford, the Pilgrims, the Mayflower, and Squanto. We planted corn and squash in our garden this week and wrote thank you letters to Jesus. We made thankful turkeys, and multiplied and divided with corn. And my kids LOVED learning to sing "Over the River and Through the Woods" and "Albuquerque Turkey" (to the tune of Clementine!) It was neat to share holiday traditions and history with my students from all over the world. (We also celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving, back in October, by the way! :-)

As I get excited about celebrating this holiday of thanksgiving, I can just look around me, as we all can, and see others that are not as blessed as we are. And we can see MANY reasons to give thanks, and many opportunities to give to others. Let's give thanks to God, our Creator today! Thank Him for ALL things. Thank Him for the clean water that runs out of your sink today that you can drink. Thank Him for your car today. Thank Him for your grocery stores. Thank Him for your health. If you're sick, STILL thank Him...thank Him for giving you the time to rest and be in His presence. Thank Him for medecine, and the money to buy it. Thank him for hot water that comes out of you shower. Thank him for supplying ALL of your needs! Even the ones you aren't even sure about right now! Let's thank Him for ALL things today! Have an attitutde of gratitude! :-)

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever!

I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart.
I will enter His courts with praise.
I will say this is the day that the Lord has made.
I will rejoice for He has made me glad!

Happy Thanksgiving ya'll!