I am praying that you are excited about a wonderful holiday season.  I love Thanksgiving so much.  I think anytime I have the opportunity to be with family and friends I am blessed.  I love it more than anything.  I have the privilege of traveling some as a part of the ministry and the older my kids get, the more I long for time just with them.  Time at home.  This morning as I type, if you asked me what I am most thankful for, my top three would be:  time with the Father, time with my family, and time at home.

This year our holidays will be different.  Our oldest son, Tanner and his family (including my daughter-in-law and three grands) will not be here.  They are doing exactly what the Lord has called them to do, but this year that means I won’t hold those sweet babies while they have their dessert.  We still have the privilege of having our holidays at my Nana’s home, but my precious Papa and beloved friend are spending this holiday in heaven.  In fact, many of our loved ones will be feasting with Jesus or with others this year.  I have found myself feeling so sad about that and I have spent some time talking to the Father about it.  After some long talks, I believe He has made it clear to me that I will not ever be able to make our holidays perfect, and that I am simply called to love on those I am able to love on.  I am committed to that this year.  I am thankful for a beautiful family and for the precious moments with each of them.  I love that I can look at my life and the lives of my family and friends and see that He is Mighty in every way…and precious all at the same time.  There are no words to describe Him.  Thankful.

How do we transfer that to our children?  Certainly, our children are blessed.  Now, I also know that their lives are not perfect, no matter how badly we wish they were.  The truth of the matter is that their lives will never be perfect.  There will always be difficult people, difficult situations, and sadness.  If we are waiting on a moment of perfection to be thankful, it will never arrive.   I am not perfect and will never be.  Neither are those around me, but isn’t that the beauty?  We must be a thankful people in all situations, and we must lead our children into gratitude as well.

• Recognize blessings in our lives.  Even little things like a beautiful sunrise, a good parking place at the mall, the smell of a pie cooking, and a good grade on a test are all things we can be thankful for.
• Teach them to verbalize their gratitude.  Saying thank you isn’t just good southern manners, it is life-giving to our hearts.
• Allow them the opportunity to “want” for something.  If we never give them the opportunity to be in need, they will never appreciate a need being met.
• Pray for blessings for others.  Ask the Lord to bless someone else, even those who won’t be saying a prayer of blessing for us.  The world does not revolve around us.

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.  For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5

Our deepest desire is to enter into His courts.  My prayer for us over this Thanksgiving holiday is that we would enter into His presence with Thanksgiving and praise and that our children would follow us there.

My love,