Thanksgiving Potpourri
“Bless the Lord O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.”
Psalm 103:2 (KJV)
Reading through the Psalms in preparation for Thanksgiving, I’ve been struck by how intentional the psalmists are with their gratitude. There is no generic one-size-fits-all “Thank you” found there. In Psalm 103 David records no less than 21 blessings that include God’s forgiveness, redemption, love, and compassion.
I’ve also been listening to my favorite Thanksgiving hymn O God Beyond All Praising, a relatively new hymn written by Michael A. Perry in 1982. Like King David, Perry’s lyrics soar in grateful worship as he remembers God’s abundant blessings. Perry writes:
For we can only wonder
At every gift you send,
At blessings without number
And mercies without end
Read the Psalms, especially Psalm 100-118, and you will find that God invites us to name his goodness in countless ways. “The thankful are humble enough to know that God’s gifts are just that, gifts,” writes Dr. Daniel Doriani.
Author Ann Voskamp agrees. “Slapping a sloppy brush of thanksgiving over everything in my life leaves me deeply thankful for very few things…life changing gratitude does not fasten to a life unless nailed through with one very specific nail at a time.”
Following King David and Michael Perry’s example, I am sharing some specific 2025 Thanksgiving blessings.
Two new grandchildren highlight my Thanksgiving list of blessings. After Birdie James’ arrival in 2024, I began praying that God would give our son and daughter-in-law another baby. In late March, just after Birdie’s first birthday, Poppie was born in another state. The girls are biological sisters born 12 months and 4 days apart, now united by God’s good providence. I am so thankful for their birth mom who chose to give them life and then chose to give them a chance at a good life.
Poppie’s adoption was finalized in August. And much like Birdie’s adoption, I now have a greater understanding of what it means for us to be adopted into God’s family. All those who put their faith and trust in Christ aren’t just forgiven and saved; we are adopted! In Christ, we have a new identity, a new record, a new name, and a new family. God could have saved us with adopting us, but He loved us enough to also adopt us and makes us a part of His forever family!
“Adoption is a Christian’s highest privilege,” writes J.I.Packer.
Our first grandson, Charles Findlay Evans (Charlie), was born June 14. Charlie joins our five granddaughters and has already inherited his dad’s nickname, “Joy Boy,” because he is such a happy baby.
In July, Bruce and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary and Briarwood welcomed our new lead pastor, Dr. Scott Redd. After 26 months of uncertainty following Pastor Reeder’s sudden death, Scott’s arrival brought great relief and stability to Briarwood’s congregation. His youth, leadership, preaching, and family are the answers to myriad prayers. Much like Poppie’s adoption and Charlie’s birth, God has provided over and above anything that we could have asked or imagined (Ephesians 3:20).
Some of the gifts on my Thanksgiving list are what I call God-given tender mercies: my weekly women’s Bible study; a successful football season; the newly formed Moms’ Huddle group; a thankful liturgical prayer crafted by a friend; loaves of fresh pumpkin or banana bread left in my mailbox; even a 10-pack of fine point gel pens! Counting my blessings helps me see the many ways God loves me.
In late September a friend and I shared a beautiful sunset at a fall women’s retreat in Lake Guntersville. Last week my friend Ginny gifted me a painting of that sunset, a reminder that “God is good and what He does is good.” (Psalm 119:68)
Our gratitude lists don’t have to be filled with memorial stone events. My Thanksgiving list also include routine carpool pickups for our granddaughters, colorful fall foliage, warm heat on a cold day, a hot cup of morning coffee in bed, and every Bible Bits reader!
Finally, I am grateful for James Bruce’s life and the many ways that God continues to use both his life and death. Bruce and I thank God every day for His good gift of James Bruce. Our family is very different because of James Bruce. We give thanks for the privilege of being his parents.
“The resounding theme of Thanksgiving is that of abundance. We rehearse these truths to our hearts as a bold creed when scarcity is writ large across our lives. In want and plenty, God is good. In sorrow and joy, he is present. In all things he offers us the abundance of his power and lavishes us with provision.” Clarissa Moll
“Thanksgiving leads to thanks-living.” Voskamp
Give thanks to the Lord!