I was in 6th grade when I learned that the world is not always happy around the holidays. President Kennedy had been shot less than a week before Thanksgiving 1963. Life came to a standstill in grief and shock. Yet in the midst of that horror, we still had things to be thankful for – like family, friends and most of all God’s never-ending love.
I learned as a child that life does not magically become better because Thanksgiving is here and Christmas is coming. We will have holes at our Thanksgiving tables that can never be filled. Some people will gather with family and friends for a large dinner. Some will help at food kitchens, serving those who have no special place to go. Some might be home alone eating a frozen turkey dinner.
Yet, we still have much to be thankful for. God’s grace and love fill the world every day – not just on the holidays – giving us hope in dark times, in lonely times, in times when we don’t know what to hope for.
This message is excerpted from “Thankful to be thankful” by Nancy Giddings from the November 26, 2015, blog of the Women of the ELCA.
Copyright © 2025 Women of the ELCA. Inquiries for permission to reproduce should be directed to [email protected]. If you enjoy this resource, Donate Now.