Next week many families and friends will gather around the table to enjoy a hearty meal. Turkey, potatoes, cranberry relish, and pumpkin pie will be popular items on the menu. It’s a time to pause and give thanks not only for food but also for our many blessings like health and homes and children. It’s a time to remember that God is the one who gives us everything we have—from the food on our table to the family gathered around it.

Thanksgiving is also a time of reflection over the previous months. In our family we had much sadness in the spring and summer months. We will miss three loved ones this Thanksgiving who are no longer with us. Sometimes the holidays are a cruel reminder that life is not always joyful. But in the midst of our sadness, God is good. He dries our tears and comforts our souls. And he keeps giving us blessings beyond our hopes and dreams.

Though we have lost three loved ones, we have added two miracles to our family tree. My son and daughter-in-law welcomed their first baby into their home on August 31. My daughter and son-in-law welcomed their first baby into their home on October 9. New life brings new joy and new hope.

It’s important for parents and grandparents to teach children to be thankful for everyday blessings. Thanking God for food, clothes, and safe home is something we do almost by routine. It’s good to remind little ones that God is the one who provides it all. But we can go further than that. Let’s teach them to open their eyes, look around at this beautiful world, and thank our Creator for everything we see.

My Thanksgiving Prayer is the only Thanksgiving book I have written for children. It’s a simple rhyming prayer that helps children recognize God’s blessings.

Thank you, God, for birds that sing
and mountains standing tall.
For rivers, trees, and bumblebees—
Lord, you have made them all.

I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving, full of joy and peace and gratitude for God’s many blessings.

Crystal