Hope and Thanksgiving

What are you thankful for?

As I write this, my family is preparing for Thanksgiving.  When I reflect back, I have so many wonderful memories of this season. As a child, my aunt and uncle often hosted the entire family, and we were invited to spend a few days on their farm. From the moment we loaded up the car, I remember feeling a sense of wonder and excitement. I don't remember a number of the logistics, but I do remember spending as much time as I could with the people there. My cousins and I would go outside to build log cabins in the woods. We would take our sleds careening down a hill, and we would always share in a wonderful meal. One could argue that there didn't have to be anything special about all of this. I could have made time for these activities on my own, but the true blessings were found in the relationships. It didn't matter if the turkey was dry or my sled crashed into a tree, the loved ones who surrounded me transformed these moments into beautiful lifelong memories.

I have not been to that farm in Wisconsin in many years, but I will always cherish the memories. More than that, I will continue to live in the hope I found there. I learned that hope is something real. It is something I can trust and put my faith in. I am a changed person, because I feel loved. 

Today, I am building my own Thanksgiving traditions with my family. We are taking time to give thanks for the people that surround us, and we are experiencing the same hope that changed my life. Our traditions look quite a bit different than the ones I grew up with, but we still look for faith, hope, and love.

Let's all try to share in the blessings of this season. Perhaps you are feeling beaten down by the world or exhausted by the road that life has led you on. My prayer is that we could all take a breath. I hope we can all find something to be thankful for and generously share these blessings with the world.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian