Thanksgiving Reflections

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100:4-5

This time of year, we tend to think more deeply about that for which we are thankful. A grateful heart is one that is continually aware of the Lord’s great mercies and abundant blessings. There is no surer path to peace than an abiding sense of gratitude to our great God–for who He is, for what He has done, for His steadfast love for us, for His unchanging faithfulness.

The Lord willing, I will be able to get back to posting more regularly. Health issues and general busyness have kept me from the keyboard since January. I do miss the interaction and hope to be more consistent. We shall see.

Here is a short list of things I am thankful for at the moment:

The stunning beauty around me. I love living in the woods. Tall spruce trees, golden birch, the lazy creek outside my window, the profusion of birds that visit our feeders and brighten my days, the flowers I managed to plant this past summer.

Health. Chemotherapy and radiation are not what I planned for this summer. I am thankful I was able to complete treatment close to home. I am also grateful for the doctors, technicians, and nurses that cared for me all those weeks. I am glad to be feeling (almost) like my old self again.

Family. My hardworking husband. Our children who are the delight of our lives.

Here are a few Scriptures to dwell on this Thanksgiving season:

Ten Thanksgiving Bible Verses

Seven Childrens’ Books About Thanksgiving:

The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh (Author), Helen Sewell (Illustrator)
Three Young Pilgrims by Cheryl Harness
The First Thanksgiving by Jean Craighead George (Author), Thomas Locker (Illustrator)
With Jesus I am Thankful by G.L. Charles
Give Thanks to the Lord by Karma Wilson (Author), Amy June Bates (Illustrator)
The Pilgrims’ First Thanksgiving by Ann McGovern (Author), Elroy Freem (Illustrator)
Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxas

And a Few of my Favorite Thanksgiving Dinner Kitchen gadgets:

Glass Gravy Separator–mine broke when our kitchen cupboard containing coffee mugs and glassware fell off the wall (the crash was spectacular). This is the one I would choose to replace it. It holds twice as much as my old one and the spout is nice and low so you can get all the broth off the bottom, leaving the fat behind.

Stainless Steel Roasting Pan–Mine doesn’t have the offset handles so it doesn’t fit in smaller ovens like this one can. This one has all the features of my favorite roaster: A sturdy rack, a thick bottom, large capacity. The lid doubles as a frying pan so you are getting two pans for the price of one. I also use it as a stock pot for making bone broth, large batches of tomato sauce, or soup on the woodstove with no scorching. I think the copper handles are a nice touch, too.

Knife Sharpener–Now I can finally sharpen a knife by myself (Hans always took care of our knives). This one does a wonderful job and makes a great gift, too.

We Gather Together – Hymn Story

We Gather Together (Hymn 435) | Grace Community Church Congregation & Orchestra

A Thanksgiving Quote from Isaac Watts

How divinely full of glory and pleasure shall that hour be when all the millions of mankind that have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God shall meet together and stand around Him, with every tongue and every heart full of joy and praise! How astonishing will be the glory and the joy of that day when all the saints shall join together in one common song of gratitude and love, and of everlasting thankfulness to this Redeemer! –Isaac Watts

If you have been encouraged today, please share this post.

I pray you see the gracious hand of our faithful Father this month as he draws you to closer to Himself. May He create in you a grateful heart as you contemplate the unspeakable gift of His precious Son.

Because knowing Jesus is everything.