For Americans, today we celebrate our second most anticipated holiday of the year, Thanksgiving. It, of course, comes in second behind Christmas.

With being in Brussels, it isn’t necessarily the same as if we were with family in the States for this 4-day holiday weekend. Nevertheless, we are joining in with other Americans for a great celebration. And last year it was great to have a Bulgarian and German family celebrate with us at our home.

For many Americans, Thanksgiving is a day mainly of family, food and football (well, in my home, the women always watched a movie in another room rather than watch football with them men).

I suppose, as Christians, some might look at those 3 f’s above and think, ‘Where is the thanksgiving being given on Thanksgiving?’ I would encourage us to be careful with working too hard to make things so spiritual. In one sense, I’d argue that things are inherently ‘spiritual’ (literally ‘of the Spirit’) by nature for Christians, at least as we realise God’s Spirit is involved in all things we are, since he has taken up residence amongst and within God’s people. Of course, that focus isn’t always present. But let’s be careful not to overdo this thing by hammering people with certain expectations of what it means to make Thanksgiving more spiritual and Christian.

But I do want to express my gratefulness to God today. As I share, I can’t expect all to understand the in’s and out’s of the details of my life, but I share a few things of which I overflow with thanks. Continue reading →