Visiting the archives this Thanksgiving Week. While away in Kansas, celebrating Midwest style, with our son and daughter-in-law, our family is grateful for God’s goodness.
For me, this time last year, I had received a mistake rejection from my now publisher. Yes, you read that right. Even publishers and editors make mistakes. Looking back, I am SO grateful for the three weeks that followed that “rejection-mistake-email.” Why? Because for 21 days, I examined my priorities, looked at the overflow of blessings currently in my life, and quieted my soul—realizing, once again, God is in control of my life and HE KNOWS BEST.
BEST, my one word for 2017.
And, then, in God-is-a-turn-around-God fashion (Genesis 50:20), everything changed. I received the good news that indeed a mistake had been made and Worthy Publishing Group was going to make Overcoming Hurtful Words happen.
It happened and I couldn’t be more grateful.
As you reflect on the past year, what are you most grateful for today? Please share. Right here in the comments. Let’s see how many “gratitude” comments we can get today. If your #gratitude moment shows up here, you’ll be entered into a raffle for a $20 Starbuck’s Gift Card for your Black Friday shopping. You’ll have until 11:00pm THANKSGIVING NIGHT! Remember, the comment must be left HERE, on the blog.
Enjoy your day and this visit to Thanksgiving 2016 blog post.
A Real Thanksgiving Feast
At last night’s Thanksgiving Service, my pastor, Jim, compared two words: indulge and feast. It was so interesting. Most of us find ourselves indulging in way too much food. It is hard to resist, isn’t it? The feasting of this holiday rooted in the gratitude of the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians. They were most grateful they had make it through a rough, even deadly, winter in the New World.
Feasting has always been the ultimate way to express our gratitude. Goodness, Jesus’s first miracle was at a marriage feast.
Feast on Faces
My pastor concluded his thoughts with a powerful challenge: Instead of indulging in food, why not feast on faces? (I may be paraphrasing a bit, but this is what I took away.)
Feast, the verb, means, “to dwell with gratification or delight.” I know that sometimes the holidays bring out the best, sometimes the worst. Relationships are hard and complicated and down-right frustrating, at times.
The Challenge
But, today, take a deep breath and find your way to “feasting” on the good. Hindsight has taught me one very important lesson. If I partner with God and welcome him into my whys, He delights in transforming even the bad into good.
Maybe today:
- Forgiveness is the finishing touch to your sumptuous feast.
- Love covers your family like a beautiful tablecloth.
- Acceptance is poured into everyone’s glass instead of judgment and shame.
- Laughter is heard instead of mumbling and grumbling.
- Peace wafts through the hallways like the smell of fresh-baked pumpkin pie.
Happy Thanksgiving, dear friends. Know you are in my thoughts today. Join me over on our Facebook page, Today’s Heartlift with Janell, and share your beautiful feasts of family, food and friendship with us! We’re waiting to “see!” I’m heading to The Chamberlain Hotel in Hampton to share a feast. I’ll be posting later!
