One of my favorite Calvin and Hobbes cartoons is the one where Calvin wakes up with what can only be described as a Halloween hangover, feeling sick from all of the activity and candy from the night before.
But he tells Hobbes he always feels better when he can go for a walk and look at everyone’s Christmas decorations. It goes well with so many other cartoons of turkeys yelling at Santa to wait his turn.
Sometimes, with as exciting as Christmas is, Thanksgiving can get lost in the mix. And at the church, it is especially easy since Christmas is so important to us. But it’s also important for us at the church to take a moment to give thanks to God.
Here at Hosanna Lutheran Church, we recognize that all of the good things in our life — family and friends, food and drink, health, leisure, and the like, all are gifts from God. We recognize that He designed the world with many good things for us to enjoy.
And so, on Thanksgiving, we have the wonderful opportunity to celebrate the bounty that He gives us. We set aside time to gather with those family and friends He has blessed us with. We take time to make excellent meals with the wide variety of foods He blesses us with. We express our gratefulness for what He has done for us, that goes way beyond the good things in our lives. We thank Him for His mercy.
On Thanksgiving we particularly thank God for Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, and the gift of salvation that He gives to us through that work. We thank Him for adopting us as His children and blessing us with His love.
So, as we celebrate this Thanksgiving, take some time to join us in giving thanks to our God, who has blessed us with so many wonderful gifts in our lives.
You’re invited to join us for Sunday worship at 8 and 10:30 a.m., and for our 6:30 p.m. Thanksgiving Eve Service at Hosanna Lutheran Church, 9601 E. Brown Road, Mesa.