Verse of the Day - Psalm 116:17

I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD. ~ Psalm 116:17 (NIV)

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Yes, folks, that's right -- it's Thanksgiving Eve, and you know what that day is.....the biggest traveling day of the year! Airports, train stations and freeways will be clogged with people trying to get to Grandma's house...or other homes of loved ones. In stressful conditions like this, it is a sacrifice to praise God when the airport lost your luggage, or it took you two hours to go four miles on the freeway.

And then there's the stress for those who are hosting the big Thanksgiving Feast. The house to clean, the groceries to buy, the food that requires advanced preparation, not to mention the myriad of things that have to be done all on the day, while some folks "potato" on the couch watching football, or disappear to play in the leaves outside. With all the stress of the feast, it is a sacrifice to praise God when you realize that you only thought you turned the oven on, or when you find out the the apples you bought aren't fit for a pig, let alone a pie.

Often, we allow the stress of the holiday to usurp the meaning for which it's named...

I hope that today, on the eve of one of the most beloved holidays we enjoy, that we take time to thank God genuinely, from our heart, for who He is and who He is to us. Nothing gives greater joy and heart warmth than the Living God loving us -- not apple pie, not Grandma's kitchen, not even mashed potatoes and gravy (which everyone knows is one of the Top Ten comfort foods :-).

Whatever you're doing today -- be it traveling, grocery shopping, or other pre-holiday hustle-and-bustle, please take time to thank the Giver of all good things. It is the best sacrifice we can offer Him, especially when long lines and culinary flops make us want to scream a song of frustration instead of a song of thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving Eve, my friends -- and be thankful!

Love,
Joelene