Happy Thanksgiving

As we approach another Thanksgiving, I must admit it has been a very tough year, in fact, one of the worst. 2020 has changed all of our lives. Yet, I remain thankful for the very privilege to live in a country where I can make my own choices and never be afraid to stand up for those less fortunate or for what my heart believes to be true.

America’s “first Thanksgiving” dates back to November 1621, when the newly arrived Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians gathered at Plymouth for an autumn harvest celebration. They were grateful for the simple things in life... food, shelter, family, friendship, and the right to worship their God.

Today, I am thankful for those same gifts. Contrary to popular belief, Thanksgiving is really not about sitting around an early decorated Christmas tree waiting for the Black Friday sales to begin early. It’s not even about watching the highly anticipated five days of holiday movie premieres on the Hallmark Channel.

It’s about sitting around a big dinner table, holding hands with those you love, and giving thanks for the brave men and women who first stepped foot on American soil almost 400 years ago... the brave souls who were looking for a better life for their children and generations to come. It’s a time to be grateful for the family and friends who love you; and most importantly, for the God who never leaves our side, no matter how undeserving we are.

So, even if this Thanksgiving is a little different and we can’t safely gather with our loved ones in large crowds, it is still a time to be thankful for our blessings. This year, I am grateful for my life which God snatched out of the hands of the devil disguised as COVID. My struggle is not over. I may still have trouble breathing; I may run out of energy very quickly; I may be distracted easily; and I may not be able to always speak correctly, but I am alive, back at work and giving my family and this community all the love God has shared with me.

This Thanksgiving, look at the glass half full. Think about the many blessings you have. You’ve read the last chapter of the book. You know who wins in the end. Go ahead and sit at the dinner table and hold hands with the loved ones you live with... then facetime the rest of them with the knowledge there is an end in sight.

Happy Thanksgiving - from our family to yours.