Giving thanks

We had planned to have the Thanksgiving of our choice, the celebration of our desires, looking something like this:

The turkey would be cooked beautifully by Preston, Alton Brown's greatest fan:

And who better to head up the celebration? Preston has had a lot to be thankful for this year--graduating from high school, getting in to the college of his choice, being initiated by the fraternity he hoped to join, making lots of new friends at UNC.

Our Thanksgiving plans were interrupted, though; Preston exchanged his graduation cap and gown for a hospital gown.

And our Thanksgiving didn't turn out as we expected. Instead of turkey and dressing at home, we'll be lucky to have Jell-O at the hospital.

But our list of things for which to be thankful is not shorter--no, it has grown longer. Along with thanking God for all the other blessings he has heaped upon us this year, we can add the events of this week--events which have been scary and worrisome, but over which God has presided. God has provided in a new way, just as he said he would.

This I recall to mind,

therefore I have hope.

Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

"The Lord is my portion," says my soul,

"Therefore I hope in Him!"

Lamentations 3:21-24

On this Thanksgiving Day, we are reminded that God is good; that His steadfast love endures forever. As Preston heals from his surgery, we are grateful beyond telling for God's love and care for us. So with all of you, we sing:

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,

Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;

Who, from our mothers' arms, hath blessed us on our way

With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,

With ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us;

And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;

And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;

The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest heaven;

The one eternal God, Whom earth and heaven adore;

For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

--Martin Rinckhart

Happy Thanksgiving!