It’s almost hard for me to believe that we’ve entered the month of November already. What a fast yet crazy year 2022 has been. So much has taken place in the last 10 months. Much of what has taken place these last 10 months has not been so good for many, yet on the same note, for many, much of what has taken place has been very good.

Each month of the year has its own identity, its own characteristics which defines what that month represents to most people. For most, the month of November represents Thanksgiving Day; a day when many families and friends come together for food, fellowship and just enjoy being together.

I have many fond memories of when our family and relatives, which was very large back then, got together on Thanksgiving Day at our parent’s home to eat turkey, pie, sing songs and just have fun.

Whenever a large group of people gets together, especially family, there’s always the chance some disagreement will come up. Our family was not different, but I seem to remember my father, who was the oldest of his family, always had the last word on any disagreement that came up and it usually ended very quick.

When it came time to eat, my father would say a prayer of thanks in Spanish before anyone would eat. As I said, our family had its share of disagreements, but in the end, we were very grateful to be able to gather for another year and break bread, or as we say in my home, break tortillas.

Here I am in 2022 and a lot of my family, my Tios and Tias (uncles and aunts) and cousins as well, have since passed away. I can never recreate those wonderful times we had back, arguments and all. The sound of their voices, their laughter, and funny stores, are now just memories.

We can choose a lot of things in life, but we can never choose who we are, what our ethnicity is and who are family is

I’ve officiated at many funerals where I heard those sad words of regret, “I meant to call or visit them.”

My family was by far a perfect family. We had our issues and some of those issues were very bad, but we were still family and speaking for myself, they will always be family.

As a Pastor I’ve seen precious relationships fall apart for some of the most ridiculous things on earth; Lord have mercy on us,

The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”

What the Apostle Paul is saying is that we, His people, should be grateful people. Think about this, God the Father has that same disposition towards us in Christ, even when we don’t deserve it.

In every circumstance, in joy and sorrow, with everyone who crosses our path, family especially, we should people who are filled with thanksgiving for what the Lord did for us on the cross for our sins, when He could have wiped us out

As I writes these words, I stand convicted of not always having that attitude of thanksgiving in my heart. My prayer, which I hope is yours as well, is “Lord, give me a heart of thanksgiving that comes from You; even in those times when I don’t feel thankful”

A Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving to everyone who reads this. We have so much to be thankful for!!!!