Thanksgiving!

Mercy me, it's in less than a week!

In the preceding post about Bunyan's pilgrim poem, I mentioned that at our family's Thanksgiving feast we all take turns reading a little something. This is one of our favorite family traditions. We take our time; each person eventually finds their own moment during natural lulls in conversation to read the little scroll tucked next to their plate. Nothing about this is forced or scheduled -- it always flows quite leisurely and naturally.

We have lots of wonderful memories of snaggle-toothed pilgrims slowly and carefully weading fwom their little scwolls over their pumpkin pie. Nowadays they can make the pie and everything else besides if necessary. But even so, the little scrolls are still ready and waiting at each place setting when we sit down to feast together. For us, Thanksgiving just wouldn't be the same without all these beautiful words and thoughts and praises.

As we take our turns, each person tells something they feel particularly thankful for over the year since we last sat around the Thanksgiving table together. This is always my favorite family mealtime of the whole year. Precious beyond words.

This simple tradition has always been a way for our family to come together at Thanksgiving not just in shared appetite, but also in a common spirit of gratitude. And that is what we remember-- so clearly-- even after our memories of all the food have long since faded.

Our collection of poems and Psalms is posted in our archives here, and I encourage you to enjoy them with us again-- and maybe even print them out for your own family feast.

I am so looking forward to Thanksgiving this year! I hope you are, too.