Our Thanksgiving Traditions. Some of the things we share in our team meetings this time of year are listed here, and a few of them could launch other conversations over the long weekend:

What is your favorite Thanksgiving food? Which leads to:
What is your favorite Thanksgiving sweet? Then we switch it up...
What one thing are you most thankful for this year in your life?
What one thing are you most thankful for in your work life?
What is your fondest Thanksgiving memory?

Around the dinner table, we bring our food traditions and other traditions. Even pre-dinner traditions: in the family I grew up in, it's one of the few times we pray over a meal.

Preparing means pulling together a grocery list which leads to Publix. Strategically navigating through that sea of shoppers, I passed the seafood section. And at that moment, the sight of the fish laying out on the ice made me think of how Jesus took five loaves and just two fish, looked up to heaven, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and fed five thousand (more actually, see below) and had twelve baskets of leftovers.

I wonder what He could do with our 15lb. turkey and assorted side dishes? And what about twelve baskets of leftovers? What a demonstration His power inserted into the everyday. He takes what we have, however meager it may seem, speaks over it the spices of heaven and changes everything!

As we gather this year, all across our great country, let's ask Jesus to multiply not only our turkey and dressing and everything we have and are as well...and see here that journey leads.

“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:17-21