When I think of the word thanksgiving, I tend to get the tune of “Old MacDonald’s”  in my head and wanna sing “With a gobble,-gobble, here and a gobble-gobble there….” , But since I lost out to my brother due to traditional gender based child naming and my Mom didn’t name me “Mack-Nina” it kinda takes the fun of out it anyway! But there is so much more than turkey and gravy, parades, and pumpkin pie to be had.

 I have given this a lot of thought. I have never written anything just for Thanksgiving. I have always wanted too but now that I have taken on the role of family Thanksgiving Dinner Hostess, it seems like time always just runs a little short with my long list of things to do. But I am so thankful for it. Every occasion to celebrate with our families is precious threads through time that will become irreplaceable memories and that is so important, especially as we grow older in life and realize just how precious those memories will become, because one day, they will be all that we have left of a season, a time, and often all that we have of a late loved one and memories become the tune played in our hearts until that great day when we will all feast together again, no more tears, no more heartache, and we will forever give thanks.

Growing up I always awoke on Thanksgiving morning to the unmistakable mouth watering smell of roasting turkey and the sounds of the televised Thanksgiving Day parade, I would drag myself into the kitchen to find my beautiful mother working on side dishes smiling and just happy with the joy of the day.

So beautiful, and such a blessed time in our history, in our world today we have so much cause for concern, ISIS and the terrorist groups and their constant threats, sickness, a horrible economy for many, my area devastated by the EPA’s “coal overthrow”, I can see it both ways, I have a friend who goes to every anti-coal protest she can find, but so many, my family included have suffered the effects of it and many friends still are forced to relocate to feed their families, it all sounds great for the environment but tell that to hungry children and worried parents. In other regions of our world everyday life for many is a struggle and each day brings true starvation for others. This year so many standing in prayer and unity for those in France and Mali, and the families of those who were executed because they could not quote a Quran verse and yet we dispute each other on social media as to whether or not to fly country colors as solidarity, and in America you are hated for flying a rebel flag but not for displaying a swastika, so messed up, because nationality, color, or the actions of a particular government that we have no control over does nothing to change one simple truth, we all are human, we were all created by the same God (even if we do not choose to serve Him), we all hurt, and we all cry and that is reason enough to put down all the bickering and pettiness and protests of what lives matter ( for the record, some police departments have long track records of brutality that I believe is not just racial, I am sure some of it is but there are mean people in all walks of life) we are still in the same world, facing the same uncertainty.

The one constant that will never change is the love of Jesus and HIS MERCY, and HIS MERCY ENDURES FOR EVER.

Psalm 136 1-9:  O Give THANKS unto the Lord; for HE IS GOOD: for HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOR EVER.

O Give THANKS unto THE GOD OF gods: for HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOR EVER.

O give THANKS unto the LORD OF LORDS; for HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOR EVER.

TO HIM who ALONE DOETH GREAT WONDERS: for HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOR EVER.

TO HIM that by wisdom MADE THE HEAVENS: for HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOR EVER.

TO HIM that STRECTED OUT THE EARTH ABOVE THE WATERS: for HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOR EVER.

TO HIM that MADE GREAT LIGHTS: for HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOR EVER.

The sun to rule by day; for HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOR EVER. The moon and stars to rule by night; HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOR EVER.

As the day of thanks draws close, we cannot change what has already happened, we must not fear what may happen, these are things that none of us can control, but the one thing that we can control is our thoughts, God will keep US IN PERFECT PEACE ( peace of mind) when our minds are focused on him, when we give all our thoughts in thankfulness to Him for HIS mercy, and HIS loving kindness that WILL endure for ever and ever and that no one can take away.

εω Φλογιζω/ NBJ 2015