I love Thanksgiving. I love being with family and friends and celebrating our together time. But Thanksgiving is more than a happy celebration. It is our response to that happiness that brings us true joy.
For those of you who remember Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show, you may also remember at Thanksgiving, he would read letters from children on how to cook a turkey. The letters were always fun and reminded me of children’s simple thought processes. Usually, they went something like this:
- Buy a 40 lb turkey.
- Stuff him with something.
- Cook him for 10 minutes.
- When Dad carves him, make sure his wings aren’t moving.
While your children are learning about Thanksgiving and how to cook a turkey, you might want to incorporate this into your tradition.
Set up a little craft time with the kids prior to your dinner. (You know there is always a kids table). Lay out an assortment of markers, construction paper, crayons and scissors. Draw around each child’s hand to make “the turkey.” Cut out the turkey shape in one continuous cut. Remove the turkey shape but DO NOT throw away the other piece that shows their hand cut out! It is the most important part!!!!
Let the kids decorate their turkeys and place one next to each guest’s plate. The other piece, the hand cutout, can lay directly on each plate. Tell the kids the turkeys will make wonderful table decorations but the most important part is the cut out of their “praise hands.”
The joy that is ours at Thanksgiving is offering up praise to God and thanking him for the many ways he has blessed us. If you throw away the praise hands, you are only left with turkeys!
Don’t throw away the most meaningful part of the day. Don’t overlook the joy time by jumping right to the turkey and forgetting the praise hands. As you gather around your table, thoroughly enjoy all of God’s blessings as each guest shares then use your praise hands to give him thanks.
Have a great time Thanks Giving!
Smiles,
Wendy