Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to those in the family that I have not talked to or will not see. I am thankful for each of you in my life.

I'm sure some of you have seen this before, but we used it in church last Sunday and wanted to share it with you.
Since September, Lord, the malls, stores and media have blared the music of Christmas. Each call come to us, inviting us to spend, hurry, plan, participate. It is easy to get caught up in the mood of the coming season. We confess that we, too, have gotten caught up in the secular "reason for the season" which is to buy and spend. Slow us down, Lord. On this day of Thanksgiving, let us put aside our rush to Christmas and offer our prayers of gratitude for your constant care. As the man who was healed of his leproscy returned to Jusus thanking him for the healing; so help us return to you with our songs and spirits of praise. You have blessed us with work to be done, harvests to be gathered in, and people with whom to share our bounty. We are called to look beyond our laden tables and filled cupboards to those for whom this time is just another day of hunger anbd loss. Help us to reach out to our friends and neighbors and to those whom we have called strangers. Remind us that the harvest is given to be shared and not hoarded. Open our hearts in actions of gratitude that we may truly offer our praise and thansgiving to you. Amen

Look forward to see most of you on the 10th. Hope you are collecting your coins for the Food Bank, which is our charity this year.