Happy Thanksgiving 2023

 Happy Thanksgiving to all my terrific readers.  

As I write this post, I'm sitting on my couch watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  (A gingerbread man and woman along with a person in a pie costume just walked by! Such cute and creative costumes!)  It has been a tradition to watch this Parade for as long as I can remember.  Getting up on Thanksgiving and watching the parade with my family, and of course, my brother and I looked forward to seeing Santa at the end of the Parade!  My mom watching some of it with us, and watching some it of from the kitchen as she prepared some food to take with us to grandma and grandpa's house for our big Thanksgiving day meal with all the relatives.   There are so many wonderful memories of Thanksgivings from over the years!  Then growing up and getting married and for awhile spending time with both my side and my husband's side of the family on Thanksgiving Day brought new memories and more to be thankful for.

I hope this day finds you with a thankful heart, whether it's been a great year or a year of difficulties and pain.  For me, this year has seen a lot of pain, with the loss of a deeply loved husband, after a multi-years battle with cancer.  Yet, I am thankful for my family and friends' support through it all.  And most of all, I'm so thankful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for helping me and guiding me as I struggle to understand the "why's".  And in learning to accept that some "why's" likely won't be answered on this side of Heaven.  As I hang on to God, and His wonderful Word, I know that Romans 8:28 is true: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.", and because of this I can put my trust in God and his unfailing love and be thankful today for His many blessings.

Please join me in prayer today:

Father,

I thank you for this day and for each day that you give us, as it is truly a gift from you!  I ask that you would help each reader to see things to be thankful for today and to rejoice in those blessing from you.  For those that are hurting today as they miss the loss of someone they love, I ask that you give them your peace and comfort and help them to enjoy the good memories and be thankful for those memories. Help them, Lord, that those memories will bring joy and not pain, today and everyday.  Lord, I ask that you would help us to see even the little things you have blessed us with and have a thankful heart for them, today and everyday.  In Jesus' name I pray.  Amen.

Psalms 118: 24 "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.".  Each day we get to make a choice whether we are going to be thankful or not.  Today, I chose to be thankful, and I hope that you will, too.  Whatever is going on in your life, there are blessings from God.  Dwell on those things and praise God for them. Philippians 4:8-9 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you.".

Are you rushing from one Thanksgiving dinner to another today? Or maybe you're hosting Thanksgiving at your house this year and with that comes cooking the Turkey and all the last minute house cleaning.   I know in the moment it may seem busy and sometimes stressful, but take a moment to take a deep breath and look around you.  Enjoy being surrounded by your loved ones!  Remember, when your loved ones look back at their Thanksgiving memories they won't remember if that fireplace was dusted today or not, but they will remember the time they spent with you and everyone else.  Enjoy the day!

Tell me in the comments what you are thankful for today!  I would love to hear and rejoice with you in the blessings God has given you today and throughout the year.  

Did you watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade today, too?  If so, what was your favorite part?  Please share that in the comments, too!

Have a great and happy Thanksgiving!

Signed with a thankful heart, 

Tracy

Thankful

Last night as I sat in the dark for the 2nd time in 5 days, due to the electric being out from all the storms going through, I reflected on God's greatness and the many things I have to be thankful for.
  I am thankful for my Family, and for our safety through the tornado warnings and severe thunderstorms of this week.
  I am thankful for God's saving Grace!
  I am thankful for the convenience of electricity, that I take for granted so often.

  I am so thankful for so many things, that I couldn't possibly name them all, but it was nice to stop and reflect.

Psalms 145: 1-3
 1 "I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
 2 Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise they name for ever and ever.
 3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable."

Edited to add:

I was reading back over some of my posts from years ago (it's now 2023) and this one made me stop and reflect, again, on God's goodness.

So many things have happened in my life since I wrote this post.  Some wonderful things (like getting married to the man I love) to some very difficult and painful things (like finding out my husband had cancer).  

In some of my most painful, sorrowful moments I've asked the "Why did this happen?" question and had the thought "This doesn't make sense, I don't understand."  And like the Psalmist I've wondered "Where is God in all this?", and "Has God forgotten me?".  I haven't gotten answers for all "why's", but I can say that God has never forgotten me (even though at times I felt like it).  

First, let's look at Psalms 42.  The entire chapter is such an encouragement to me!  It reminds me that I'm not the first that has asked these questions, and God is not angry at me/us for asking and trying/wanting to understand.  At the same time God is God and He knows and sees things that we don't know, so some things we won't understand and have to trust Him.

Psalm 42: 1-11 (NIV)

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, O God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God?

3 My tears have been my food day and night,

while men say to me all day long,

"Where is your God?"

4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul:

how I used to go with the multitude,

leading the procession to the house of God,

with shouts of joy and thanksgiving

among the festive throng.

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior and 6 my God.

My soul is downcast within me;

therefore I will remember you 

from the land of the Jordan,

the heights of Hermon - from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep

in the roar of your waterfalls;

all your waves and breakers

have swept over me.

8 By day the Lord directs His love,

at night His song is with me -

a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God my Rock,

"Why have you forgotten me?

Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?"

10 My bones suffer mortal agony

as my foes taunt me,

saying to me all day long,

"Where is your God?"

11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God, 

for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

And in Deuteronomy 31: 6

"Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you."

If you or a family member has just gotten bad health news, if you're grieving a loss, or for whatever reason today you find it difficult to be thankful and you're wondering if God is there.  I can tell you that even when it doesn't feel like, He is there.  You can trust God's word and put your trust in Jesus.  He does love you and He sees you today.  Right where you're at.  Right what you're going through. (There are tears running down my face as I type this.  He is faithful.)

I challenge you, today, to look for something good and see that it is a gift from God.

Look at Matthew 25: 35-40 (NIV)

35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 

36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37 Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 

38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?

39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"

40 The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Has someone sent you an encouraging message through facebook or e-mail?  Has someone come to just sit with you in your pain.  Did someone smile at you at the grocery store?  Did someone help you meet a need you had?  These are all good gifts from God.  Even in the deepest of pains, God is there.  It can be hard to feel Him when we're deep in some kind of sorrow, but I encourage you, again, to look for even those little glimmers of blessings, for they are signs that God is there and hasn't left you and hasn't forsaken you.  God loves you deeply.

Are you hurting today? Are you finding it hard to be thankful.  Feel free to leave a comment, I'd love to pray for you.