Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. ~1 Chronicles 16:34
For so many of us, this Thanksgiving will look radically different than any we have celebrated in the past. I don't mind telling you that this holiday has always been my favorite to spend with family. And now? We can't risk having anyone into our home, nor can we travel safely to be with anyone else.
This reality can either leave us discouraged and depressed, or we can resolve to give thanks to the Lord for all our many blessings. Here are just a few of mine:
- Mom is still hale and hearty!
- My ever-patient son who has been confined here at our house since the virus' inception. Daniel, you're a trooper!
- Weekly FaceTime chats with my daughter, Sarah, and the grand-girls. Just seeing their faces and hearing their voices gives me so much comfort.
- Cozy home filled with love and laughter.
- Amazing meals lovingly prepared by my husband, Danny.
- Appliances that too many of us take for granted.
- Crisp, cool autumn days.
- My blogging buddies.
- Endless books to devour.
- The gift of writing.
- And last, but definitely not least, knowing that God is large and in charge!
Oh, how this list could go on and on and on. I'm sure you have a thankful list, too, and I hope you'll share that in the comment section.
In the meantime, Danny and I dug up just a few of our photos from Thanksgivings past. These bring back cherished memories of what was, and what can be again.
This last photo may not look like Thanksgiving, but it is a precious one for all of us. We are posing for a photo to salute son, Giovanni, who is in the Air Force and couldn't be with us at the holidays. It's also the last Thanksgiving that Mimi, Danny's mother, spent with us.
Yes, let us give thanks to the Lord, not just on Thanksgiving, but on every day of the year.
Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!
True, we have so much to be thankful for, even in these difficult days we are having right now. Time to support and encourage each other and to look forwards and hope for better times, gaining strength from the good times God gave us in the past.
ReplyDeleteMay He bless you and all your family at this special time of gratitude.
Best wishes, Martha.
Yes, Victor, we have endless blessings to be thankful for, even in these dark days. Remembering the good times does give us so much hope for the future. Let us give thanks, too, for one another!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Oh dear sister, we are so rich in Jesus.
ReplyDeleteAs Paul wrote.. and really commanded us:
“In EVERYTHING give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.”
Amen!
GOD loves a thankful heart.
I think everyday is thanksgiving.
We don’t have it here in Oz as our country is not Christian in its foundation like USA.
I pray those prayers of your pilgrim fathers prayed for your nation, at this time especially, praying earnestly each day that God would keep you all safe in the hollow of His hands in these troubled times.
Thanks for sharing your thanksgiving post, may God bless you all richly in Christ Jesus, and God bless, Shaz in Oz.x
{Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
{Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}
Thank you so much, Shaz, for your love and prayers at this time! Yes, as long as we are Christians, we should give thanks to God continually for all that He has done and will do in our earthly lives. To Him be the honor and glory, forever and ever.
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Well done and said Martha. We are staying home also due to the threat of quarantine for both our girls. We will make the best of it. have a nice quiet thankgiving meal. I might even go for an early morning ride if the weather cooperates. I'm thankful for your friendship, even though it is virtual. Blessings to you and Danny.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm so thankful for your friendship, too, Bill, and for being able to enjoy your sermons every Sunday via the internet. I really feel as though I'm a member of OVCF, and that's such a blessing! Hope you can enjoy your Thanksgiving, and get that bike ride in. :)
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We do have much to be thankful for and need to focus on all He has done for us over the years. Our free will can bless or curse but we know God is in control and all things work for the good to those that love Him. Happy Thanksgiving 🦃 woman of God😀🌹❤️🙏🙏
ReplyDeleteCountless blessings for which to be thankful, Valerie, that is a certainty! God, I know, will work all things for good in the end, and that's really all we need to know.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Thank you for sharing some of the things you are thankful for and I love seeing the photos! At the top of my list for this year, I'm thankful that my family has remained safe and virus free. By the way, my youngest son is Giovanni! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family Martha.
ReplyDeleteOh, how cool is that, Martha! Giovanni is not that common of a name, so it's wonderful to know there is another one out there. :) Yes, our family has been virus-free, too, and that in itself is something to be thankful for.
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We celebrated many Thanksgivings when we lived in the USA, our friends in Southern California taught us all the ins and outs of the dinner :) I love your list and I love your pictures. Although we do not have a Thanksgiving here in the Netherlands, I am always making a list!
ReplyDeleteIt's a great idea to keep a gratitude list, Marja. Whether or not you celebrate Thanksgiving where you are now, there is always something for which to be thankful.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Yes. Gratitude changes worry to joy.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Patricia, it certainly does!
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Oh you're so right, Martha. Our gratitude lists should be long and extensive this year! God has been so faithful even and especially in the messiness of our lives.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration ...
Yes, Linda, our gratitude list should be endless, maybe especially during these crazy times. Hope you have a terrific Thanksgiving, too!
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Your list is so great and I love the way you put God is still large and in charge! Amen!! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, my friend!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Terri! So grateful, indeed, that God is large and in charge. Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
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Yes, this Thanksgiving will be different. My son will not be here, but his wife and children will. We are so thankful for that. I am thankful for all the family, friends and prayers sent to us during the recent loss of our precious son. We will keep our memories in our hearts. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Martha. Blessings and love.
DeleteI will continue to pray for you and yours, Nells, as you face this holiday season without your wonderful son. I'm glad the prayers and condolences have helped you at this time. May God give you the peace and comfort you so need during this holiday, my friend.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Great reminders of those things which truly matter. I'm loving the family salute, and Virginia's thumbs up 'for good measure.' :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving begins in our hearts.
That salute photo is a classic, Myra, that's for sure! I think more than ever that we all will focus more astutely on the things in life that matter the most this Thanksgiving. And that's a good thing.
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I love those photos, Martha. I am blessed that although my son is also in the air force, we are able to celebrate Thanksgiving with him and his family.
ReplyDeleteWishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Oh, I'm so happy for all of you, Beckie! Having your son home for the holidays is a such a wonderful gift. May you all enjoy each and every moment together!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Wonderful reminders of all the many things we have to be thankful for as Christian-Americans Ms. Martha Jane. Thank you so much ma'am. Happy Thanksgiving; and we'll be saying an extra prayer for Giovanni.
ReplyDeleteYes, J. D., so much to be thankful for, even in these crazy and unsettling times. Let us never be remiss in thanking God for His love and grace, even when we don't deserve them.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Boa noite meus queridos amigos. Parabéns pela linda reunião de família. Que o Espírito Santo de Deus repouse cada vez mais sobre sua família.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Luiz. May God bless your day!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Parabéns pelo Dia de Ação de Graças.
ReplyDeleteThanksgiving is a wonderful time, and we look forward to giving extra thanks to God on this day.
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Oh, I love that last picture of everyone saluting! that is priceless! And yes, things WILL get back to normal and we WILL be able to see our loved ones and travel again. Praying every day for this thing to end. Praying the vaccine is all that they say it is and that it will actually work. Praying for God to continue to give us strength and safety in the midst of it all. God bless you, and have a blessed Thanksgiving right where you are!
ReplyDeletePam, I'm most certainly praying for everything you have listed here, day in and day out. When I heard that the vaccine could begin to be available as early as December 11, I was elated!!! If we are deemed early candidates to receive it, we might be able to visit our grands over the Christmas break.
DeleteMay you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, too!
Love and blessings!
Yes, there is always something--many somethings--to give thanks for. The biggest one is our relationship with Jesus. What a privilege that is and how often we fall so far short of what we should be in that relationship. Yet He still loves and accepts us. How wonderful! Happy Thanksgiving Martha and family.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely spot on about that, Diane. We do need to be so thankful for our relationship with Jesus. Where would we be without Him?
DeleteLove and blessings!
Thank you for sharing your past family photos and that turkey looks AWESOME. As we are instructed to do in the Bible, turn all our petitions into prayers of thanksgiving. It changes our lives and our perspectives. Whatever we are going through right now, this too shall pass and we can be thankful for that as well. This past year has been one of the best we have had in the 48 years of marriage and for that I am over the top thankful.
ReplyDeleteOh, Carol, what good news you share here at a time we definitely need it! Forty-eight years of marriage is a milestone that so many never see. And yes, when petitions and prayers are turned into ones of gratitude and thanksgiving, God can work the miraculous in our lives. May His name be praised!
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It is sad to look back on the pictures and know how much has changed, and yet, I am sure the photos are a comfort to you now. Life surely has changed in so many ways, but I am so thankful God never changes. May He bless your day to be special tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteI'm so grateful, too, Cheryl, that God never changes, no matter what. May your Thanksgiving be blessed!
DeleteLove and blessings!
You have a lot to be thankful for, Martha. Both this year and in the past. It's so good to take stock of all of our blessings!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is, Laurie, and I've certainly done an abundance of that this Thanksgiving.
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Love your list and so blessed to be a blogging buddy of yours. I am thankful for you too!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jean! I'm so glad you liked the list.
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What a beautiful post, Martha! Despite the "hard" this year continues to present, we have so much to be thankful for--all of God's many blessings.
ReplyDeleteLove and blessings!
Yes, Kim, so much to be thankful for, indeed.
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Seeing your list reminds me of the many things I also am grateful for! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had a beautiful day outside with my in-laws. We were very grateful for sunshine and temps in the 60s. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like your Thanksgiving day was picture perfect, Lisa. And yes, we have so much to be grateful for!
DeleteLove and blessings!