Words Of Thanksgiving

To be honest I wasn't sure if I'd do a Thanksgiving Day post this November.
Oh yes, there is so much  for me to be thankful for this year with our safe move, our new house and a wonderful job for my dad. But somehow without people to gather with for dinner, or a church family to call our own, it's been a bit hard for me to thank the Lord right now.
But over this past week I kept encountering things that have a similar message for my heart: Praise and thank the Lord even when you don't feel like it, because He is worthy!

I'm not sure if anyone else feels the same way I do but I wanted to share some of the things that have been encouraging my heart lately.

Gorgeous November wallpapers like these posted at Faith Hope and Cherrytea. I've greatly enjoyed using these on my laptop over the past few weeks!

These verses have been a big encouragement and perfect for meditating on throughout the day:

"Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation." - Psalm 111:1

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." - Psalm 100:4

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise." - Psalm 98:4

There's been a few hymns that have really been encouraging lately:

We Gather Together

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;

He chastens and hastens His will to make known.

The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.

Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own.

Count Your Blessings 

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

This article from Young Ladies Christian Fellowship (YLCF):

"I think when faced with celebrating a holiday in a way that doesn’t fit our expectations, we need to go back to the essence of the holiday. What are we really celebrating? Why do we have this day?" - from When Holidays Don't Follow The Recipe by Trina Holden at YLCF

And lastly for a bit of fun, this hilarious retelling of the First Thanksgiving Day story from Kid Snippets:

Their description of England totally cracks me up. "You dance with balls?"

"Plastic hasn't even been invented yet!" 

"What about corn!?!?!?" hahaha :)

I pray that all of you dear friends and readers have a very Happy Thanksgiving full of reminders of just how much you have been blessed by God. May His praises be on your lips and His joy in your hearts. 

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!