Why Thanksgiving is My Favorite Holiday {Bonus: Prayer + Recipe}

Thanksgiving is the least commercialized religious holiday. You can actually celebrate without adding a single thing to your earthly belongings. The celebration lasts only one day. It’s not a season nor does it have its own abbreviation i.e. Xmas. The trimmings have not overshadowed the true meaning of the holiday. Even non-praying families say a prayer and give thanks. This is the ultimate opportunity to do all that draws families and friends together. Eat, visit, play games, share blessings and relax. Thanksgiving is the spiritual gateway to the Christmas season. As we focus on our blessings, the greatest of which is God’s Son Jesus Christ, our hearts are turned to God and prepared for the celebration of Advent. In addition to the personal expressions of thanks, our family has a special Thanksgiving Prayer that we say at dinner. It may be one that you want to incorporate into your celebration.

A Thanksgiving Prayer for Friends and Family (William Barclay 1907-1978)

We give you thanks, O God, for those who mean so much to us– Those to whom we can go to at any time. Those with whom we can talk and keep nothing back, knowing that they will not laugh at our dreams or our failures. Those in whose presence it is easier to be good. Those who by their warning have held us back from mistakes we might have made. Above all, we thank you for Jesus Christ, Lord of our hearts and Savior of our souls, in whose Name we offer this thanksgiving. Amen

Thanksgiving is a chance to acknowledge God’s many blessings in our lives including His abundant provision of food. There are just some recipes that fill our homes with more than good smells and good eats. These are the time tested creations that fill our hearts with memories and expectations. This pumpkin bread is one of them for us. It signals that fall is here along with the cooler weather and the family gatherings that we all look forward to. Here is the recipe, which you can make printable by clicking the printer icon below:

Darcy Kimmel’s Amazing Pumpkin Bread

[cooked-recipe id=”10837″]

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May your Thanksgiving be filled with grace and joy, Tim and Darcy Kimmel and the team at Family Matters