Thanksgiving Day

"Bless the God of all, who has done wondrous things on earth; Who fosters people’s growth from their mother’s womb, and fashions them according to his will!" Sir 50:22

Thanksgiving is not always easy, especially if your family has suffered death very recently, but we need to stop and thank God no matter how heavy life is at any given time. God has done wondrous things within and among us. God has created and nurtured us, challenged and directed us, loved us unconditionally and promised to go before us to prepare a place for us. What more could we ask?

In fact, many want to ask for much more. Struggles at work or with family, sickness and poverty, or wealth and success can be great burdens. Unless we find a way to accept and be grateful for all that is, we cannot hope to find the path of light that God has marked out for each of us. This is no easy task. God's ways are often confusing and upsetting, and feel very dark, but the memory of how God has guided us in the past reminds us that there is a purpose to everything. That it is God's purpose, not ours, is painful but rewarding in the end.

Whether you eat turkey with all the trimmings or spend time with a loved one in a hospital this Thanksgiving, take a few minutes to list all the people who have been gifts to you this year. Let their faces and goodness come before you like photos in a digital photo frame. Pause and pray for each of them. Doing something like this will make your Thanksgiving rich no matter what it brings.

Today, take five minutes of silence and be thankful.

What has made Thanksgiving day memorable for you through the years?