Thanksgiving, continued

By Brad Henderson

As Iʼve said many times before, this is the time of year when the special days come so quickly, one after another, that itʼs almost like watching a holiday train wreck. Halloween gave way to Thanksgiving which gave way to Advent which gave way to Christmas. (As I write this, I realize that we are only in Day 2 of the 12 Days of Christmas, so donʼt be too quick to take down the tree and the decorations.) The Season comes to a close on January 6, which is Epiphany... and weʼll discuss that this Sunday.

Each of these fall/winter holidays continues the common thread of gratitude: Halloween, for the plentiful harvest born of spring and summer; Thanksgiving for the full blessings of our lives; Advent/Christmas for the Word made flesh in the Child in Bethlehem; and Epiphany for the revelation of who this Child is and what he will do in us, through us and for us.

So as the memories of this Christmas are being securely locked in place, and the Old and New Years ready to exchange places, I want to take a moment to give thanks:

I am thankful for two beautiful, smart and amazing daughters, who bring light and love to my life;

I am thankful to have a heart that beats, lungs that breathe, and a brain that thinks;

I am thankful for a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and food on the table;

I am thankful for family and friends who encourage and accept me even when I give them plenty of reasons not to;

And I am thankful for a faith family that comes out for worship on snowy days, that dares to dig into the deeper questions of faith even when it unsettles their world, and that is subversive enough to help the least of these all through the year.

May you, too, realize your blessedness enough to give thanks in both the Sacred Season and in the Year to Come!