Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Hi, all!

Today is Thanksgiving Day, and our house has extra guests...our older son and his friend, our younger son and his girlfriend. As I sat in my chair saying my prayers this morning, I felt a sense of wholeness and warmth. We're all here together.

We'll have a big dinner this afternoon with all the trimmings, including non-gluten and vegetarian options, and afterwards we'll take a walk to work off some of those calories. I hope you and yours are also gathered to celebrate today, and I hope you'll take some time to reflect on the good things God has given you. Practice gratitude.

I'm especially thankful for those who labored to bring us our food, for those who stand by to protect us and keep our electricity on, for the good earth and the peaceful animals that gave us our food. God is generous.

As the General Thanksgiving says on p. 101 of the Prayer Book:
"We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory."

Even though there's a warm glow around the image of Thanksgiving Day, I'm aware this morning of all those who don't find this a happy day: those whose families are absent or broken by strife, those who are alone or grieving lost ones, those who have to work even on a holiday (especially the early Black Friday), those who don't have a warm, dry home to shelter them, and Native Americans who may find this day a painful historical memory. This awareness keeps my gratitude humble.

Keeping all this in mind,
May God bless you this day with deep gratitude of the soul.
May you savor the food in your mouth and taste the goodness of God.
And may you sense the profound presence of those around you.

Bill