A Spoken Word and a Time for a Little Communion --Real Preparation for Thanksgiving Week.

'Tis the season for slowing just a bit before all of the Rush, right?

Well - I used to play that game... but I got off that frenzied way of approaching the holidays long ago! No judging though. I remember how it felt so very necessary!

I am sure I have written about it many times around here, but I gave myself a deadline years ago to guarantee that I would actually get to enjoy the holidays too, and it has been my sanity, y'all!  

We can dive into that maybe next week... but for now... for this week --we are all counting gifts and giving thanks. At least I hope we are!

I know this has been a heavy and hard time for many... things feel dark and doubtful.  

So as I am counting gifts and crafting and binge watching Gilmore Girls (in preparation!) and making menu plans, I wanted to share a little glimpse into our weekend and our Sunday service yesterday at Dad's House where "Small Wonders" abound...


I am Preparing my Heart to Give Thanks, by Counting the Big and Little Gifts that are all around me...

YOU GUYS!!! This Sweatshirt:

I got it at Old Navy and it is making me all kinds of happy!

On Saturday, we joined up with #DadsHeart ministry along with several people --from several churches (which I LOVE!) to love and serve and feed and clothe people downtown in our City.  And this:

As I stated on Instagram, the end of the Rainbow? Gold, y'all! Pure Gold!  One of my favorite moments was when, after serving one of the homeless men, he turned around, making eye contact with each of us and said, "Thank you!" 

That would have been enough of a gift but YOU GUYS, he then bowed his head and began praying for us... bits and pieces of the Lord's Prayer and "Now I lay me down to sleep" and whatever else he could recall and pray aloud as a blessing and we ATE. IT. UP.  Oh my goodness... I met Jesus right there, in layers of clothes that didn't quite fit and dirty hands and a grateful heart!

As we were preparing for company on Saturday night, I lit some candles and was taken aback at this little vignette in my living room and how it truly captured some of my favorite Fall things:

A yummy smelling candle... a beaded pumpkin... my Lyrics for Life Wall Art from Dayspring... a frame with #1000Gifts graphics and a photograph of me and a friend... a sister... a prayer partner... I slowed enough to kneel down and snap a photo and give thanks.

We had an amazing visit with a couple from church who we had the honor of marrying last month and then came Sunday...

(Insert broken record here!)

We love our church... which is really Family! (We didn't name it Dad's House on accident, y'all!)

We had an amazing time of worship (as usual) and then I got up and shared a spoken word piece, and lead in Communion and prayer.

As I prayed about what to share or whether or not I should write a new piece, the Lord reminded me of one I wrote a couple of years ago... around Easter time. At first it felt odd because, well --clearly this is not Easter time, and yet... 

I am including an audio version of the Spoken Word, Communion and Prayer... it didn't go down EXACTLY like this... but still --small wonders, all around!

If you feel so led, I invite you to grab some bread and wine (or a donut and juice!) and join us for Communion, right here and right now! There is no better way than to prepare for Thanksgiving than by giving thanks for the greatest gift ever given...ever broken and poured out!




Here is a little clip of Communion, as well... 
  "Hallelujah, what a Savior! Hallelujah, what a Friend!"

Happy Thanksgiving week, sweet friends!

I am giving thanks for each of you... 
  and praying you are counting gifts, as well!

I'm also linking up with the lovely writer communities linked below:

Kelly Chripczuk  for #SmallWonders 

Barbie Swihart for #GlimpsesofHisBeauty

Also this: Come back on Wednesday for a Fun Fall/Thanksgiving/Gilmore Girls Giveaway!!!