Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – I Thessalonians 5:16-18

                                                                                                                                     

Dear Friends in Christ,

Thanksgiving is the time of year when we pause and give thanks for all the good things we have in life- family, friends, health, and other blessings. Yet have you ever considered what follows the beautiful autumn days we have at Thanksgiving?

The months which come after we stop and express our gratitude for the harvest are filled with difficult weather, cold temperatures, and less daylight than any other time of year.  The harvest celebrations and our time of gratitude in October come before the colder and shorter days in November and the winter storms which are simply part of life in Nova Scotia.

Yet even knowing that does not stop us from giving thanks, from being grateful for what we have received from God. For giving thanks does not come about simply because things are good and will stay that way but rather because we know that we have been blessed, we are grateful for the people and experiences which make up our lives, and because we know that God’s goodness can not be stopped no matter what happens in this world.

So this Fall, I would invite you to consider your life and give thanks to God. For while each of us have reasons to worry and problems that are on the horizon, none of that prevents us from being people filled with appreciation and wonder at what we are experiencing today. Be grateful for the new people who are part of your world and those who have been there for many years. Be thankful for all you have received and what has been promised to you through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

May God bless us all,

The Rev. Peter A. Smith