Corona Devo 2095

Somewhere along the (early) line of our (then developing) family, my husband and I would use a tracing of one of our tiny-children's hands to make a little turkey to put on each person's plate at the Thanksgiving meal.  In the tail "feathers" (fingers) of each turkey were words or phrases describing things that we were thankful for in that person specifically.  

For example, if you are Gramma, then one of your feathers usually says "mashed potatoes", because she makes the best. 

If you are cousin Scotty, then the word "fun" finds its way onto a turkey feather every year because, engaging and intentional...he is fun.  

The words are not (usually) deep or complicated, but they are personalized thoughts-of-thankfulness that our family feels towards that person.  

I really don't know what the thankful-turkeys mean to the recipients.  Some people tuck them in a pocket or purse to bring home with them, and others leave them on the table seemingly untouched.  But, the truth is, we don't do the thankful turkeys each year for the recipients.  Taking the time to think and muse about each person at the Thanksgiving table does our family much good.  It is an active exercise in remembering and being grateful for who we are blessed to have in our lives...and why.

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. (4) Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, (5) for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. (6) And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.  ~Philippians 1:3-6 

By now, our oldest child has hands that are longer than most dinner plates, and so we stopped tracing hands years ago.  But it's easy to find simple turkey-templates online, and so, we still tell people what we think about them (in a good way) via the thankful turkeys on Thanksgiving.

We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. (3) As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.  
~I Thessalonians 1:2-3

Why don't we all try our hand at some thankful turkeys this year?  
All it takes is a willingness to sit still for a second and to think about each loved-one that will be at our Thanksgiving table this year.  We don't need a turkey-shaped paper...it can be a scrap of paper.  I can guarantee that the recipient won't mind what shape the paper is in, but they will be blessed by what words have been etched on it about them.

When was the last time that we received a compliment?  It's probably been too long.  But we have the power (today!) to stop that stretch for someone else!  Pay someone a compliment today.  Tell them what we are grateful for about them.  Sharpen them by being grateful for them.

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.  ~Proverbs 27:17

And I am also well aware of those who are not seated around the table with us for a holiday meal this year.  
What if someone is gone but we did not get a chance to tell them all of the reasons that we were grateful for them?  

I have two ideas in relation to this situation: #1 is to tell them what we are grateful about them anyway.  Pray it, speak it, write it, or think it...and then give it to God.  Let Him carry our grateful thoughts wherever they need to go.  

And the #2 idea is that if we missed the opportunity to love someone through gratitude...then let's make it our business today NOT to miss another person or opportunity.  One of the few positives that I have found in relation to losing a loved one is that it incites and ignites a fire for loving/caring/serving/appreciating those in our lives that we still have.   Make a thankful-list about someone you care for and give it to them today.  The joy-blessing in doing so is special and it nullifies the regret of not doing so.

A friend loves at all times...   ~Proverbs 17:17

~~~

And whether it is a simple hand-tracing of a child, or a professional template of a turkey...there is One who deserves our gratitude and thanksgiving and praise today: the Lord.  

Write it down or shout it out, but our Lord is the Giver of all good things.  He deserves our praise and thankfulness today.  We wouldn't be here (in any sense of the definition) without Him.

  • Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  ~Psalm 100:4 
Maybe it is silly that I still do the thankful turkeys.  But when we are thankful...then we are thankful.  Engage in an active exercise in remembering and being grateful for who we are blessed to have in our lives...and why.

Let's be thankful for our friends and family today.  And be thankful for God

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.  ~Psalm 118:1

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