Psalm 118:1

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

Here’s a Thanksgiving excerpt from my new novel Following the Sparrows:

Thanksgiving morning, Kathryn worried her way through the sweet potato recipe. Robert always made it before. He was the cook in the family. Still, she had his recipe, and with all she’d accomplished in the lab, she was sure she could figure out things in the kitchen.

When she finally put the marshmallows and pecans on top, Adam came to mind. Hopefully he’d be able to eat some at his own Thanksgiving dinner. Maybe she’d save some for him and bring it on Saturday just in case. She wasn’t sure how many people she was making it for, though. Thanksgivings at the Campbells’ place always held a different crowd. Anne and Robert’s mom Eileen, Robert, and Kathryn were the regulars, but there were always what Robert affectionately called the “strays,” the people with nowhere else to go on Thanksgiving.

Kathryn met some interesting people over the years at their Thanksgiving dinners. It would be different this year without Robert. He knew several of the “strays,” since they were often members of the church, but Anne had been known to invite the cashier at the grocery store, the lady at the dry-cleaners, even the tow truck driver the year her car broke down three days before Thanksgiving. Kathryn and Robert used to try to make up stories for each of the guests before they were told the real ones. She’d didn’t have the heart to make them up on her own this year.

As she entered the house, smells of turkey and stuffing and pumpkin pie filled the air. She brought her foil-covered casserole into the kitchen and went upstairs to add her coat to the pile on Mark and Anne’s bed. She came back downstairs, in search of her niece and nephew. It was amazing how many people could cram into this tiny house at Thanksgiving. Mismatched folding tables and chairs stretched from one corner of the living room all the way through the dining room. She counted chairs. Thirteen plus Emma’s high chair. That meant besides Anne’s family, Eileen, and Kathryn, there would be eight strays this year. That might be a record.

Scenes like this are familiar to many of us. Big family gatherings, lots of food, and lots of hugs. Growing up, we all gathered in my grandparent’s cozy basement, strewn end-to-end with tables and chairs. We younger cousins were relegated to the kids’ table, where we joked amongst ourselves while my uncle’s booming voice dominated the adult table. Plates passed, forks clinked, and an amazing cacophony of sounds and smells filled the room.

Fast forward to 2020. There will be no big family celebration this year. We, like so many, will be spending Thanksgiving in our own home, with only our immediate family. We miss the days of gathering with loved ones, but we’re doing our part to keep our loved ones safe.

We’ll still have turkey, but it will be a smaller one. If your Thanksgiving looks different this year, it’s easy to grieve what you’re missing. Maybe your loved ones have passed on, or maybe you’re simply staying home to keep them safe. For us, it’s a combination of both. Several people around our childhood Thanksgiving table are no longer with us.

Our reasons to be grateful are not missing, however. We still have many friends and family we can call, or text, or Zoom. We’re able to connect now in ways we could only dream about. In the days of my childhood Thanksgivings, the concept of a video call was relegated to science fiction. I’m grateful for the technology that allows us to see one another, for our children to continue their education, and for so many of us to continue to earn a living, even from home.

Yes, 2020 looks different, and we all wish to move past this. But God is faithful, and is in control, and deserves our gratitude for the blessings we still enjoy. Consider the following. Gratitude has been scientifically proven to make us happier and increase our self-esteem, improve our relationships – with family, friends, and even make us more effective at work, and improve our health – reducing depressive symptoms, reducing blood pressure, and improving our sleep! With all these benefits, God certainly knew what he was talking about when he said:

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

No matter what your Thanksgiving looks like this year, take the time to be grateful.

Dear God, thank you for your constant faithfulness, even in the midst of fearful times. Help us to remember You are in control. As the apostle Paul said in 1 Colossians 3:15-17, help us to remember the following:

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Praying you have a blessed Thanksgiving, no matter what it looks like! What are you grateful for this year? Drop it in the comments below.