Thanksgiving

This morning we had our annual Thanksgiving worship service. My family and I love having a service of Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving. After all, that's what the "holy-day" is for, the giving of thanks to God. What better way to celebrate it than with a gathered service?

What makes the service so special is the time given for expressions of thanks by the people who attend. We know that many families cannot attend because of their own family traditions; we schedule it at 8:30 a.m. so that it will be more convenient for many that will be in town or who won't be traveling more than a couple of hours. Today, we had a bit over 40 in attendance, not as many as I would like to see, but much improved over the 25 or 30 from last year.

Still, it is not a high attendance number that makes the service so special. It is the hearfelt expressions of thanks. It amazes us all to note that those who have seemed to have had the most difficult times in the past year are often those who seem to be the most thankful. I would guess that more than 20 of the participants rose to share a few sentences of thanksgiving to God. One read a poem she had written yesterday. Another expressed his praise in Spanish, his native language. Words of thanks were expressed for husbands and wives, for families and friends, for encouragement and support from the church body, for the guidance and providence of God, for the beauty of nature, for those who sacrifice for our freedom, and more. While that seems rather mundane and expected when I write it down, what is unexpected is the spirit and emotion with which the offering is given and the details that are unique to every individual.

Almost everyone who attends such a service is touched by what they see and hear and want to attend the following year. It certainly sets the stage for the rest of the day. Because so many are unable to attend due to travel and traditions, we have discussed trying to do something like it during a regular Wednesday night service and dispensing with it on Thanksgiving Day itself. It is hard to make such a decision after attending the service, and I was glad to see more there this year than last. Still, it is something we will talk about.

For our family, it is a very special tradition that remains a meaningful part of our lives. We are grateful to be able to gather with our larger family to give thanks--on Thanksgiving--to our wonderful God.