From Bob Kaylor, Editor of the Preaching Collective:
On this Thanksgiving Day, most of you will be sitting down to dinner with family and friends to enjoy the annual feast. I have to confess that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, mostly because it’s the only one during this busy season that I don’t have to go to work! Instead of prepping bulletins and practicing a sermon today, I will be stuffing my face and falling asleep watching football while praying that God suspends gluttony and sloth from the list of deadly sins for this one day per year.
Given that we preachers seem to always be in output mode, today is an opportunity to simply allow ourselves to stop and drink in the blessings that we often neglect in our busyness. It’s a time to enjoy our families and give them our full attention instead of offering a quick kiss goodbye on the way to another meeting. It’s a time to listen to the holy hubbub around the table rather than speaking another homiletical masterpiece (though crazy uncles do often say things that are sermon illustration-worthy–keep a notebook handy). It’s a time to simply enjoy the life we’ve been given and offer gratitude to God for his provision and grace.
The first Sunday of Advent is nearly here and the chaos of Christmas Eve is on the near horizon. Before it all begins, I pray that your Thanksgiving celebration fills you up in more ways than one. Blessings to you and yours from all of us at the Preaching Collective!
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