As 2020 rolls along, we share yet another "different" celebration in a challenging year: Happy Thanksgiving! It's a time to give thanks and praise to God, and count our blessings - on this special day (and always!). Let's be joyful and thoughtful, remembering goodness while grieving loss, and pledging to share bounty and spread kindness, patience, and goodwill. Let's hold hands - virtually - and offer friendship, love, and peace to all. Happy Thanksgiving!

TABLE GRACES: children's prayers at the dinner table Thanksgiving prayers and blessings Take a peek at the short prayers in the links above. Here's one favorite: Come, Lord Jesus, our guest to be, and bless these gifts bestowed by Thee. Please bless our loved ones everywhere, and keep them in Your loving care. Share this prayer, then take a few moments, giving everyone a chance to wonder: Who would you like to have as a guest at our table? Why? I wonder what you would say are "these gifts"? From where did they come? Let's name everyone we'd like to bless. (Even the ones that are hard to love!) I wonder what we can do to show them how much we care? And share the prayer again. Maybe write it out, decorate, and display it on the table!

Click on the images to print these activity pages, or learn about this funny, silly book:

CRAFTS Autumn leaves crafts & more & more turkey crafts (beyond tracing hands!) grateful for blessings: show & tell through 40 different crafts - wow! 4 words: Pumpkin. Pie. Play. Dough! regrowing veggies: does your dinner include celery, carrots, lettuce, scallions, etc.? Grow more, it's easy! BE OF SERVICE & GLORIFY GOD in your kitchen - love the little poem! Check out 100 suggestions (but use your discretion!) here's a great list of kids' books about hunger and helping and here's a list of awesome social justice picture books for inspiration

ACTIVITIES Best/worst (AKA "thorns and roses"): call out the unpleasant, sad, aggravating, no good, very bad, terrible things - and be sure to follow up with a list of awesome, happy, funny, sweet, lovely, hopeful, uplifting, joyous blessings! Bonus - can you name any rosebuds: things to anticipate? enjoy a Gratitude Scavenger Hunt! (IRL or by writing/drawing/talking) Games and more games! Thanksgiving yoga poses for kids, inspired by this wonderful book: Thank You, World, by Alice McGinty

Dear Heavenly Father, Creator of all things, please bless and care for each of us, your children, and help us to appreciate, cherish, and be good stewards of these blessings. Through Jesus' name we pray - Amen! Sending love to you - Happy Thanksgiving! Linda