Gratitude

Gratitude

It is November. The season of gratitude is upon us.  We find ourselves preparing for that great Thanksgiving feast; a celebration of all we have to be grateful for in life! The first harvest feast took place between the Plymouth Colonists and the Wampanoag Indians in 1621.  Other colonies had celebrations as well when their harvest came in and the work was complete, but the dates varied from place to place. This went on for two centuries until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln established November as the time for all states to pause and give thanks.  In 1939 Franklin D. Roosevelt designated our time of thanks for the fourth Thursday of November, making it a national holiday.  And so, on the 23rd of this month we will gather with friends and family to give thanks.

Long before this holiday was established Paul wrote; “Let the word of Christ dwell richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.  And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col. 3:16-17). As Christians we believe that we live our lives giving thanks for all that God has done for us through Jesus Christ.  Recognizing that gratitude, acknowledging it and living it out, makes us joyous in all that we do.

We have opportunities to live out our gratitude and be joyous in God’s goodness – even before the official day of Thanksgiving arrives! Out of gratitude, we can give our time, resources and gifts to God and the church to expand the ministry of WPC. (Please remember to turn in our Time and Talent sheets by Nov. 26th.) Out of gratitude, we can volunteer to help with the Blessing of Backpacks. Out of gratitude, we can donate coats and sweaters for the Felician Center or help as a volunteer. Out of gratitude, we can volunteer to help with Children’s Church one Sunday a quarter or help with Children’s Choir. And out of gratitude, we can join together for the 97th Thanksgiving Prayer Breakfast where we will center our hearts and souls on God’s Word.  Let us rejoice and celebrate together.

In this season of giving thanks, I hope that you will join us in expressing gratitude to God for all our many blessings.

Peace, Josie