Happy Thanksgiving to all

We seem to be living so fast that Thanksgiving is the only time we all come together with our families and actually give thanks for what has been given to us throughout the year.  Why is it we
cannot do this all year long? 
I know in our family we still pray before meals and I am glad for that.  Even when in a restaurant
we pause to ask for the blessing over our meal.  It is a quiet prayer but nevertheless it is a time
to pause and ask God to bless the food to the enrichment of our bodies for doing His will, not ours.
Do we really  mean that?  Do we just want to eat as fast as possible?  Do you consider what that means to ask for God to strengthen our bodies with this food?  I have been doing a lot of thinking about this since my husband was diagnosed 2 yrs ago with traumatic dementia.
He usually asks for the blessing of the food.  Now he has trouble remembering all the words he wants to say, and I often have to help him finish the prayer.  So I use that time to consider what his prayers ask from God.  We thank Him but then we ask for this food to strengthen our bodies.  Always asking for something, aren't we?
Now I can add a little prayer to his and thank God for each time my  husband can still remember the words.  That is so important to him and if he is able to pray on his own, he does not become frustrated. 
So this Thanksgiving,  I ask you to each consider what ALL God does for us.  Also what we ask of
Him.  Are we asking to be able to live with whatever is HIS will?  That is what we must do.  We are followers, not leaders in our relationship with God. He will teach us to pray if we listen as Jesus gave a guide for his disciples in the Bible.
I remember as a child, we would say Turn thanks for the prayer at the table.  I never understood that the term was shortened to "Turn Thanks" by us when what the adults were doing is to "return thanks"
for the food God had provided.  Funny how I never realized that until I was an adult.
So again, think of all God does for us every day.  Thanks for living in a free country.  Thanks for having food to eat and clothes to wear, whether new or old or expensive or cheap.
These freedoms are not free.  Our soldiers throughout our history as a country have fought and died for us to have them.  Because we have been a Christian country, God has blessed us.  Remember that whenever you see someone trying to take those freedoms away. We are blessed because of our obedience to Him.
End of sermon,  but this is my only sermon ever on this blog.  I felt so strongly that our country
needed this on the occasion of Thanksgiving.  Enjoy being with family and friends.  Eats lots of turkey.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Lois