Thanksgiving with Family

For many of us Thanksgiving means spending time with family. I know for me it does. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. We focus on family. We focus on fun. We focus on food. We focus on what we are thankful for.

Being thankful.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

– Thessalonians 5:16-18

This year our whole family will be together and this alone is reason for me to be eternally thankful. But let me tell you that doesn’t mean it will be all cranberries and nice and pumpkin pie all along the way. Sometimes bringing family together can mean conflict and it can bring up some pain for some of us. Pain for those who aren’t present. Pain for a family conflict that hasn’t been resolved. Pain for triggers inside of us we haven’t had the strength to face.

For me, having all my kids is a joyous thing—even if it means there might be conflict, like the grandkids fighting over who gets to play with the fire truck or who gets to sleep where. And don’t forget about tears, they flow from happy places and sometimes sad. I love it, even if it means two of my kids decide to enter into a conflict over their differing feelings or how they see the world.

I have a rule on this…

My kids get to be who they are. I don’t want them to put on a version of themselves that they think I want them to be. I love each of them and all my in-law-kids (who now feel more like my own) just as they are. I want my family to show me who they are and allow me to love them unconditionally just as they are. Even when they disagree with me. Even when they divert from ways they were raised. Even when they get mad or frustrated with one of their siblings. Everyone gets to be who they are. No filter. No judgement. No condemnation.

Just love. Added to love is acceptance.

With all of this, do I expect Thanksgiving to be perfect? Nope. Not in the least. But I do expect it to be my kind of perfect. Which is perfect love. Unconditional love. And most of all thankfulness.

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

– John 4:18

For we can rest in God’s love and offer it to others.

How about you?

What are your expectations about Thanksgiving? What brings gratitude to your heart?

Whatever that is be thankful for that.

Thanksgiving is a day which reminds us to give thanks and be thankful. It comes along once a year but we can carry it through for the whole year.

For me, thankfulness for my family is enough to carry me through. How about you? What are you thankful for?

“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.”

– Colossians 2:6-7

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”

– Colossians 3:15

For more from Lucille Williams check out her books The Impossible Kid: Parenting a Strong-Willed Child with Love and Grace, and for your marriage, From Me to We, and The Intimacy You Crave. And Turtle Finds His Talent for ages 2-6. We invite you to subscribe to LuSays today for weekly encouragement.