Thanksgiving Eve - Waterville Lutheran

Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving...

A man in Phoenix calls his son in New York the day before Thanksgiving and says,"I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough.

"Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams. We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the father says. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her."

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "Like heck they're getting divorced," she shouts, "I'll take care of this,"

She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at her father, "You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?" and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. "Okay," he says, "they're coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own way."

* Thanksgiving Dinner on the run. A woman called 1-800-323-4848 to
find out how long it would take to roast her turkey. To answer
the question, the Talk-Line home economist asked how much the
bird weighed. The woman responded, "I don't know, it's still
running around outside."

* Then there's the time a lady was picking through the frozen
turkeys at the grocery store, but couldn't find one big enough
for her family. She asked a stock boy, "Do these turkeys get
any bigger?" The stock boy replied, "No ma'am, they're dead."

It is hard to even settle ourselves on such a night when there is SO MUCH on our minds. Who is going to stay up to bake the last pies, prepare the turkey - WAIT the turkey was suppose to be out 2 days ago... As hard as it may be to divorce ourselves from the present realities of turkeys, sweet potatoes, visiting relatives, hours on the road with the family and the advent of at least one kitchen disaster I want you to join with me this night and gather your hearts together in the Word tonight.

What can we learn from these texts and take to heart as we gather around tables tomorrow? It isn't about the turkey whether you like it bloody or to be like jerky. It isn't about whether or not your cousin is going to introduce a new friend to the family and stir up a chaos like never seen before. It is about "giving thanks" and with that we begin.

Applying the Texts

1. Begin not only this day with thanksgiving but everyday.
1. 2First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, ²for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.
2. Whether it be a time set aside for "saying what we are thankful for" make every intention to give thanks for food, fellowship, family and friends.
   
3. We have munch to be thankful for this year.
2. God provides!
1. ²⁵“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? ²⁸And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. ³⁰But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ ³²For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
2. The Turkey popped out of the oven
   and rocketed in to the air;
   It knocked every plate off the table
   and partly demolished a chair.
   It ricocheted into a corner
   and burst with a deafening boom,
   Then splattered all over the kitchen,
   completely obscuring the room.
   It stuck to the walls and the windows,
   it totally coated the floor,
   There was turkey attached to the ceiling,
   where there had never been turkey before..
   It blanketed every appliance,
   it smeared every saucer and bowl;
   There wasn't a way I could stop it;
   that turkey was out of control.
   I scraped and I scraped with displeasure
   and thought with chagrin as I mopped,
   That I would never again stuff a turkey
   with popcorn that hadn't been popped.
3. Whether your Thanksgiving dinner becomes a complete disaster or goes off without a hitch God provides. Hum the tune - Be not dismayed what er' betides, God will take care of you.
3. Strive then for the kingdom of God and al these things will be added unto you.
1. Offering a blessing, a hymn, and bring the Word and prayer to your table tomorrow. Strive to remember who has provide these great things that we devour.