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I love the fall.  I love the change of the seasons … the cooler weather … the color in the trees.  About 3 years ago, my family moved from Denver, Colorado to the Dallas metropolitan area.  I spent 10 years in Denver after spending the first 30ish years of my life in south Texas.  I LOVE the mountains … and I especially love the Rockies in the fall … the aspens turn the most beautiful colors … we used to take long drives or go hiking in the mountains on the weekends …

There’s a holiday that I also love in the fall … the Thanksgiving holiday.  I think it’s so special because there’s really not all the hoopla that there is surrounding most other holidays.  It’s a time that we spend with our families … and we spend it eating!  What a special … and enormous … meal!

My family … my parents and my sister and her family … celebrate together at our home.  They make the 5+ hour drive from south Texas… and all 11 of us spend 4 or 5 days together in close quarters in our home.  We have a blast!  We have so much fun preparing that huge meal that takes MUCH longer to prepare than to partake!  It’s about the only time in the year that we use the real china and crystal … what wonderful memories that we make!

But the most special moments are those around that Thanksgiving table.  We have a couple of traditions … as I’m sure most of you do … I want to share a couple of ours with you …

The first is this:  Before the meal … we read Psalm 100:  and we read it like this:  Each person is given one verse typed on a slip of paper to read … it’s usually placed under the dinner plate.  I’ve included the verses for you to print, if you’d like.
(click here for Psalm 100 cutouts)

Then, my dad blesses the meal.  My dad, being an ordained Southern Baptist minister, can PRAY … I LOVE to listen to him pray!

The next is this:  During the meal, starting with the youngest … and going up one at a time BY AGE … we state ONE thing that we are most thankful for.  Some are quite amusing … like last year one of my pre-teen nieces said she was thankful for accessories!  Some are tear-jerkers … like my dad’s recovery from a somewhat brief but very scary battle with a rare form of cancer.

And sometimes it’s difficult to think of that ONE thing because (for the adults anyway) we don’t allow general topics … like HEALTH, FAMILY … it must be specific!

Here’s the words to one of my favorite hymns:

Count your blessings
Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1897.

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, ev’ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you his wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

My prayer for each of us is that we’ll be more aware of the little blessings in every day life.  Not just that once a year celebration called Thanksgiving … but every single precious day.

Karis