Two Thanksgiving Feasts

Most of us have fond memories of thanksgiving. And of course I am no different. There are many things I am used to experiencing during the thanksgiving season. Like seeing my aunts and uncles and cousins for the weekend. Eating massive amounts of food. Playing a game of phase ten with my family. And of course getting up at 4:00 in the morning to go shopping the day after thanksgiving!

One of the things that I worried about was what would happen during this thanksgiving. Being thousands of miles away from family can be kind of hard during the holidays. I expected to be depressed or discouraged last Thursday and Friday.

I talked to my parents and relatives for an hour on Thursday (Wednesday night in the states). It really. helped to hear their voices over the skype internet program I have on my computer. And because of my webcam we were actually able to see each other while talking! Later that afternoon I put up my Christmas tree and did some work around the house. At no time in that entire day did I become emotional or depressed about not being be with family for the holidays. I was actually surprised at how calm I was.

The next morning I got out of bed just in time to watch the last ten minutes of the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions football game (it was 3:00 Thursday afternoon in the U.S.). At about 8:30 I talked to my parents and relatives again for an hour. And then I was left by myself on Thanksgiving day thousands of miles away from my family.

I had been invited by two different families to have thanksgiving dinner with them last Friday, but I declined. I did this to see what it would be like to experience thanksgiving alone. Would I be filled with sadness and homesickness? Or would my heart be filled with joy that comes from God? I did not try to escape or “medicate” any kind of painful feelings that facing thanksgiving alone would bring. Instead I purposely decided to stay at home Friday.

At 12:30 I turned off the football and walked into my kitchen. For the next two hours I read from books that I am currently working through in order to strengthen my ministry. The truths in those books along with God’s Word encouraged, comforted, and challenged me. They were a spiritual feast for my heart that needed strength in that time. As I studied God placed within my heart an incredible peace. And that peace became stronger as I thought about what God was teaching me later that day.

At 7:00 Friday night I sat down to wonderful thanksgiving meal. There was a juicy t-bone steak that I had cooked on my own grill. Extra crispy French fries (one of my guilty pleasures), along with fresh bread. And for desert I had Tim Tams which are Australian cookies dipped in chocolate. Add coke with a cup of coffee and you have a meal fit for a king! But that physical feast was nothing compared to the spiritual feast that I experienced earlier that day. And though a juicy steak and well done French fries makes for good eating. It can never compare to the peace that can only come from God.

I thank God for the peace that he placed in my heart over the thanksgiving season. But more importantly I am thankful for the opportunity to come before him in a time of need and feast upon his truth.