“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” — Psalm 107:1
This verse has been little Pitter Patter’s memory verse the last few days, and I’ve been writing it on my heart as well. Such a small verse, and yet it goes straight to the heart of what the Christian life should look like. A life of Thanksgiving because of a God who is good. Good enough to right wrongs and redeem the human race. And He doesn’t do it with a heart of punishment for our wickedness, but because of His love. Hallelujah!
It is with gratitude for His generosity toward us that we enter the season of Thanksgiving. We are grateful for God our Father, Christ our King, and the blessed gift of the Holy Spirit. We give thanks for the institution of family and the gift of friends. We express gratitude for Christ’s bride, the church. We give thanks that one day all the wrongs of this world will finally be made right through the salvation of Jesus, our Lord.
The Thanksgiving holiday is a time to celebrate extravagantly the gifts that God has given to us. It is a time to feast, not only on food and family time, but also on the blessings in this life and the life to come.
The gathering of family to celebrate together is one of the best blessings of the holiday. There is no right or wrong way to do Thanksgiving. Next year, we will spend Thanksgiving eating our lunch on the sidewalk at Disneyworld. In years past we have celebrated with just the four of us gathered around our little kitchen table. This year we will gather at my parents home with all of my parents children and grandchildren present. I see the great blessing in each celebration.
No matter the setting for your Thanksgiving, it’s always fun to turn the day into a celebration. This year’s celebration for us will have us gathering around multiple tables and enjoying each other’s company. While you can gather around any old table, I love the idea of a Thanksgiving table that makes guests feel like they are worth the effort. Beautiful tablescapes don’t have to be expensive or dramatic. You can use what you have on hand. Following my friend Mary’s advice, I put together a table that we’ve enjoyed using all week, even though the big day is still a week away. I used my white everyday dishes, the colorful Anthropologie bowls the girls gave me last Christmas, gold chargers that I bought at Fred’s for $1 each, and a few colorful mis-matched plates I have picked up through the years at Target, World Market, Pier 1, etc. The burlap “runner” is an oddly-shaped piece that I had left over from a craft project. The McCartey pottery pieces came from my bookshelves in the den. And the hydrangeas are blooms I cut off of our bushes when they were blooming and placed them in my china cabinet. They dried there perfectly.
As always, look around online for inspiration. Here are a few tablescapes I found that could be easily replicated.
From Shabby Sweet Cottage:
From Redhead Can Decorate:
Love the cotton bales from Sophia’s Decor:
Such a pretty table using fresh vegetables and striped ribbon from Mariah at Giggles Galore:
These branches by Lisa Griffith are fantastic! Each leaf has written on it something for which she is thankful.
The love of family and friends is what makes Thanksgiving memories so special. The hospitality of creating a beautiful table will only add to those wonderful times.
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