When I was young, our family’s Advent tradition was to move from the kitchen table to the dining room table after supper where the Advent wreath was and have special Advent devotions. (Yes, a plate of Christmas cookies would usually be there as well.) As another candle was lit each week, the anticipation of Christmas increased. I will fully admit that as a child I looked forward to receiving Christmas presents. As I matured, my joy shifted from receiving to giving. And now, my main joy is in simply giving thanks for the blessing of family being together and all the ways in which our Lord has blessed us. 

Which is why, while maybe it’s not this way on the official Church Year calendar, celebrating Thanksgiving is a great way to begin the season of Advent. What a gracious God who delights in giving to His people and blessing them with His love, though in our sinfulness and tendency to take things for granted we often fail to worship Him as He deserves. 

For many of us, there will be a lot going on during the next few weeks, and it will be easy to get frazzled or, quite frankly, a bit depressed as we think about Christmases past and miss those who have gone before us into heaven or those no longer living near us. When those times happen, go back to Thanksgiving and remember all of the Lord’s blessings. His steadfast love does endure forever. As our verse for the week states: “Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 3:7)