Most Americans celebrate Thanksgiving in eleven days, but we’ll do so today.  Being Wisconsin natives, we have done so for the past fifty years.  In that state, the week of Thanksgiving is devoted to hunting – not turkeys, but the infamous white tail.  Both my husband and son have made it a tradition to travel over the meadow and through the woods to a little shack where several other bearded men gather to spend a week of fellowship together.  Occasionally they bag a deer, but they get together more for the time together.

At our house, we enjoy the week before to have our traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  I guess it doesn’t really matter what day it is, since every day should be a day of gratitude for us as Christians.  Each day is a gift from God and another opportunity for us to praise Him for all His benefits.  His gifts to us are enormous.

Today, after church, I will make the dressing, stuff the turkey, prepare foods reserved for special occasions and enjoy the company of family.  Getting together over a huge meal is something we’ve always enjoyed as a family, so it will be difficult not to share it with our oldest daughter and her family who recently moved out of state.  We will be joined by some new friends though, so the table will still be full.

Thank you, Lord for giving us this time of grace to spend with friends and family.  We are so grateful for all your blessings.  Be with us all as a family as we embark on new adventures like the pilgrims did so many years ago.  Continue to look over us with your loving eyes and grant us your peace.  Amen!