Black Friday

Black Friday…it sounds like a dark day in history, but it is actually better known as the day after Thanksgiving when consumers don their comfortable shoes and strap on their pocketbooks to prepare for a full day of power shopping. Parking lots are typically full to overflowing and lines wrap around stores as shoppers prepare to buy gifts for Christmas.

It has been reported that Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year, but with the recent economic shaking our country is taking, I wonder if this year, some will give pause and reconsider buying into this over-hyped marketing ploy.

What does the Bible say about consumerism? In 1 Timothy 6:8, we are told to be content with food and raiment (clothing). Is that all you may ask? Yes. Really consider—are all these must have gifts really necessary? Americans insist they need plasma screen televisions, the latest and greatest electronic toys, and new cars with giant red bows on top, but will that truly buy happiness? Perhaps that is the very reason our country is in this economic pickle.

"Ye cannot serve God and mammom" (money) Matthew 6:24.

Let us purpose to serve God alone as we enter this advent season. With right hearts, we will celebrate Christmas as it was meant to be, not as the world would impose upon us to observe this holiday.

Harvest Stuffing

Harvest Stuffing by Sisterlisa

* 30 slices whole wheat bread, day old
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 large onion, finely chopped
* 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 2 teaspoons rubbed sage
* 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 1/2 c. dried cranberries

In a skillet saute the celery and onions in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Add the seasonings and toss to coat. Add broth and heat to simmer. Drizzle over bread cubes and toss evenly.

Sisterlisa is the owner and Editor-in-Chief of Growing in Grace Magazine and owner of AGMinistries, a devotion blog for women. She is married and homeschools her four children while remaining active in community service and leads the deaf ministry at her church.

Thankful For What We Have

by Miss Monica June

Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays. We have so much to be thankful for. We have delicious food for everyday, warm clothes, a house, and a family . While others don't have very much at all. People in Africa have to eat bugs, live in mud huts without running water and lights, and they barely have any clothes! Sometimes we think that we have it rough, but there's always someone else who has it rougher.

We should be Thankful for what we have and not to complain. Any time you don't get what you want, remember you have a lot and others might not. Be thankful for what you have, and enjoy every day that you have.

If you have a local homeless shelter, you might want to ask your parents if you can go serve them dinner this month. When you see low income children come in you can be kind to them and talk to them. Maybe you can even get some toys from the Dollar Store to take to them that day. When we see other people that have less than us, it sure makes us more thankful.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

A Warm and Cozy Thanksgiving

by Lady Olivia

Town that is homey

House which is warm and cozy
Aunts and uncles
Nana, Papa, Grandma, and Grandpa
Kind friends
Salvation
Good food
I am grateful for Mom and Dad
Very funny dog
I am thankful for my wonderful brother
Nice neighbors
God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

by Sister Angie

For me, Thanksgiving is a culmination of God’s goodness and faithfulness throughout the year. As an only child, I am blessed to have married into a big family. My husband is the youngest of five. Extended family crowds into one of our homes and the rooms are filled with good conversation, laughter, and the aroma of a wonderful dinner. Traditions are carried on as we play dominoes and a very noisy game of Pit. Cousins play football outside while we women busy ourselves in the kitchen, bumping into one another as we prepare the biggest meal of the year.

Nana’s favorite frozen cranberry salad is garnished, my famous 'make ahead mashed potatoes' are puddled with pats of butter while Aunt Kim’s green bean casserole and my mom’s cornbread dressing is heated. Yet this day is not all about food. It is about love, God’s abundant love and grace to see us through each day and the opportunity to share the truth of Jesus with loved ones that have gathered together. The patriarch of the family calls all to join hands as we stand and bow our heads in prayer. We enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. For the Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting and His truth endures to all generations. Hearts are full. Tummies are full. It is obvious to me that Jesus came so that we would have life, and life more abundantly.

Please enjoy several of our other Thanksgiving articles.

The Spirit of Giving

The Spirit of Giving is upon us as we are entering the holiday season and I can feel the happiness coming from others around me. This time of year seems to bring joy and peace as we focus on being thankful and the upcoming celebration of our Saviour's special day. You'll no doubt begin to hear Christmas music in the stores now and you'll be hearing the ringing of the bells of the Salvation Army. Decorations begin to change from orange and black to bright reds and greens. Yes, that sense of giving is certainly upon us.


We are just a few weeks away from Thanksgiving and we are planning our shopping list for what we need for our Thanksgiving recipes. Some are preparing their Thanksgiving thoughts that they'll be entering into their Thankful Journals. Maybe you are creative and you enjoy putting words into poetry as you ponder what you're thankful for. People celebrate Thanksgiving in other countries as well!

No matter where we are we can find ways to not only be thankful, but show that we're thankful. Miss Monica June and Lady Jess are showing their thankfulness to our city's Veterans today as they serve them a nice dinner at our church. What ways can you show your thankfulness?

Do you have a soup kitchen, rescue mission, or food closet that you can volunteer your time with? There are others who will not have as nice of a Thanksgiving as you will have. Do you shop at a store that has 'buy one get one free' sales? Can you pick up a few extra cans of cranberry sauce or a box of stuffing for the food closet? Can you donate your time to get your local food closet organized this Thanksgiving season? Maybe you know of a family that will have a harder time this month that you can send a food box to.

There's so much more to being thankful than just 'saying' what you're thankful for. We can 'show' thankfulness to others around us.

Psalm 100:4, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."

Colossians 3:15, "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

Psalm 95:2, "Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms."

I am thankful for many things. In 1995 my life took a turn for the worse. Our family had split apart and my two girls and I were left alone for Thanksgiving. A sweet lady name Miss Jeanne Hosse invited us to her tiny little apartment for a turkey dinner. Miss Monica June was just six months old and Lady Jess was about four years old. Between the four of us we would not have needed to eat very much. Yet, this lady went above and beyond what God had asked her to do. In her tiny kitchen she prepared a Thanksgiving Feast large enough to feed a few families and still have left overs. Maybe you think that's nice of her and really what's the big deal?

Miss Jeanne was dieing of cancer. She was ill from extensive Chemo treatments and didn't have family in town to care for her. She lived across the street from me and didn't want us to be alone for Thanksgiving. She was a petite lady with barely enough strength to stand for very long. She rose up early in the morning to begin preparing this fantastic meal for us. There was no way I could say no to her, she insisted and wouldn't let me decline the invitation.

Here was this woman, who was not very old, and she was undergoing Chemo treatments, ill from this cancer that was taking her life and she reached out to me and my two girls when no one else did. She wanted to be sure that we were not alone. I can't tell you how much her sacrifice meant to me. She is in heaven now and every year I think of her as we prepare our meals.

I am thankful that God restored our family and has given us two more children. For the last several years we have opened our home to others who didn't have anyone to spend the day with. Here we are in a tiny home ourselves, but we squeeze in every person we can to our dining room table. In addition to that we set up TV trays as well. The simple act of kindness that Miss Jeanne showed us has now created a tradition in our family as we follow in the heritage she created in our hearts.

Miss Jeanne did more than just say she was thankful, she showed it by extending her love toward us. Is there a family that you can help this Thanksgiving? Do you know of a family that has suffered loss this year that you can help make their day sweeter? Can you take a pie and flowers over to an elderly neighbor? Can you bake cookies for a local nursing home? Let's do more than just say what we're thankful for, let's do something to show how thankful we are.

A Thankful Journal

by Miss Alyssa

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

On Thanksgiving Day, we go to my Grandma’s house to spend Thanksgiving with our relatives. Last year, my mom started a "thankful" journal. Every Thanksgiving, we write and share what we are thankful for from each past year.


I am thankful for...
1. My salvation
2. The Bible
3. My life
4. My family
5. My health
6. Missionaries and mission organizations that are reaching the unreached with the Gospel.
7. The abilities God has given me
8. Being homeschooled
9. God-honoring books, movies, and music
10. Having clean drinking water, good food, and a wonderful home

2 Corinthians 9:15
"Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift."

Nana's Famous Frozen Cranberry Salad

My Nana makes a cranberry salad for all of my family that we think is wonderful. She even renamed it to be called Bruce's Cranberry Salad because that is one of my dad's favorite dessert dishes at Thanksgiving. If you make this, I hope that you will enjoy it just as much as we do.


INGREDIENTS
1/4 Cup of Lemon Juice
1 Can of Condensed Milk
1 Can of Jellied Cranberry Sauce
1 Can of Crushed Pineapple
1/2 Cup of Chopped Walnuts
1 Tub of Whipped Topping



Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Freeze until just before serving. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Joy

by Miss Kaitlyn

The best thing about thanksgiving
is the joy shown all around,
Hearts full of happiness and love,
And there are many, many things,
in which thankfulness is found,
Not a one is not provided from above.
Kindred spirits join together and share
a joyful time,
Singing and having a wondrous day.
God makes our hearts thankful in ones such as mine, and
Is changing our lives every day.
Vast are all the things that I am thankful for,
I could never even list them all.
Never will being thankful seem like a chore.
God will always hear us when we call.

A Thankful Heart

by Miss Virginia

I am thankful for my family. I'm thankful that my mom and dad are still married. My sister Jessica makes me pancakes. My sister Monica plays baby dolls with me, even though she is older now. She sometimes fixes my hair for me too. Timmy plays with me and he's fun to be around.

I'm thankful for my mom and dad reading with me at night. I am glad my family is close, even though sometimes we don't always get along, we still love each other. I like it when we have family parties. We get a fun movie, have home made popcorn, and get pizza. I like to go to the park with my family too. I really like it when my daddy goes for walks with me and holds my hand. Going for family walks after dinner is always special. I have friends at church, but I know my family is my best friends.

Australia: For that I’m Thankful

by Miss Jessica

Saying “thank you” is a simple but extraordinarily powerful thing to do.
– Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia

I am aware that in America, people celebrate the settler’s first years in America and all they were thankful for. In Australia, we have a new yet similar tradition in May each year: National Day of Thanksgiving. We don’t eat the turkey and cranberries on a frosty fall evening with all the family, true; but, once a year during the month of May, we encourage all Australians, no matter what culture or belief, to gather together and simply say thank you to somebody. Whether it be our Mum or Dad, brother or sister; people who look after our communities’ welfare (spiritual, mental or physical) or the government and ministries who pour so much energy into making our lives better. Saying thank you is like giving others a taste of God’s love – the most powerful thing on earth.

I am thankful for Australia. I’m thankful for Australia’s Christian Heritage. Many of our ancestors were convicts, but significant leaders and explorers had a relationship with Jesus Christ; such as Captain James Cook and Charles Sturt. It was those men, along with many others, who established our country. And for that I’m thankful.

Because National Day of Thanksgiving is still something new in Australia, traditions haven’t really sunk in; however, barbeques is always a winner in Australia.