MAKE A JOYFUL SHOUT TO THE LORD!

Psalm 100:1 A Psalm of Thanksgiving. Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Well tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day and my heart and home are ready. I've been posting for the last several weeks of all the many blessings that I have to be thankful for and I really am so grateful for them all. But these last couple of days as I winding down on my preparations, (house is cleaned, windows washed, aprons and place cards made, and the turkey bought), my mind has wondered back over all the Thanksgivings I have enjoyed through my life. When I was a young girl and up through my young newly married life, all of my Thanksgivings were spent at my Aunt Carolyns house. She was a wonderful woman who loved the Lord and her family and went out of her way to make sure everyone always had what they needed and were comfortable in her home. When I was young I of course had no idea of the amount of work that went into such a celebration. Now of course I am VERY WELL AWARE and my appreciation for all that she used to do is soo much more understood. The house would be filled with the wonderful aromas so unique to Thanksgiving, and the anticipation of the meal was at times overwhelming. My Aunt went home to be with the Lord 4 years ago last summer, and I miss her very much. I always think of her especially at this time of the year because to me Thanksgiving and my Aunt Carolyn went hand in hand. As I matured I think the majority of the Thanksgivings have been spent at our house. We have taken over some of the traditions we enjoyed for years and added a few of our own. I LOVE Thanksgiving and I don't see that ever changing. I imagine the day will come however where it will just be my husband and I driving over to one of our childrens homes for the day, and my days of cooking the meal and preparing the celebration will be passed down to the next generation. And so life goes on. But some things will always remain the same. A God who loves us beyond our greatest expectations and dreams, and blesses us with His perfect gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. Today as always He is at the top of my very long list of things I am thankful for. Not only has He provided me with a home to spend my eternity in, but has blessed me with family and friends to love and cherish while here on this earth. Truly my cup runneth over. May you all enjoy a truly wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving and may the Lord make His face to shine upon you now and forever more!!

Psalm 26:7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And tell of all Your wondrous works.

Psalm 50:14 Offer to God thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High.

Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 95:2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

To join the other thankful hearts that are participating in Thankful Thursday today, click HERE....and for the first (and probably only, haha) time ever I am also posting a tablescape thursday post as well.  You may find the others for this event HERE....I LOVE browsing through the beautiful tablescapes every week but have never had the courage to do one before.  The women who participate in this are soo talented and creative I have always felt a little out of my league.  I have always sat a pretty Thanksgiving table (and sometimes a Christmas one) but other than those it is pretty plain around here.  If you have the time in the next few days, pour a cup of coffee or tea and browse through them.  They are all soo pretty. 

We will have 26 people for dinner tomorrow including little Tella in the high chair. I need to thank my sister Danae for coming over today and helping me get my tables together. I would have never been done as soon as I was without her wonderful help. I am very happy with our tables looks, but happier with the fact that we got everyone but the kids in the livingroom. On the inside of every placecard I wrote a scripture which we will go around the around and everyone can read their scripture before we pray. I am looking forward to the day.