Happy Thanksgiving in a year that continues to provide us with reasons to be thankful that we took for granted before! I mean, have you ever had a year where you were so thankful that toilet paper is in stock?

That being said, no doubt your Thanksgiving plans look much different this year compared to previous years. It can be hard to come to terms with how restrictions may be preventing you from celebrating with the family and friends that you love. COVID has struck at the heart of our sense of community and fellowship. 

And yet there is one aspect of Thanksgiving that COVID can't prevent; the ability to do it successfully lies within our own hearts. This is the actual act of giving thanks or rejoicing! In Philippians 4:4 we are told to rejoice in the Lord always. Rejoicing doesn't always come easy when circumstances are hard, but these are the moments where God invites us to look upward and remember His goodness. When all else fails, He does not! 

With this in mind, here is an acrostic of Thanksgiving thoughts built around the word "Rejoice":

Rarely do we remember to thank God for the littlest things - these colourful leaves, this warm sweater, that pumpkin flavour, those raindrops. Take five minutes of prayer to thank God for as many of the little things around you as you can. 

Every circumstance you face has something in common - God is present with you and at work in you. God may not reveal the answer to our "Why is this happening to me?" questions, but He will answer our "How can I bring You glory through this?" questions.

Jesus is the reason for the season! This isn't just a rhyme for Christmas. Jesus' love is the undercurrent of any season of the year. Take a moment to remember how high and wide and deep is the love of Christ.

Over and over again, Paul repeats his "rejoice in the Lord" reminder. It must be because he knew we are so prone to forget! How can you remind yourself to be thankful? Maybe you need to decide on a certain time on the clock or associate it with a certain trigger sound or put up an artistic reminder in your house.

Increasing in thankfulness as each year goes by only makes sense, because God continues to give us good gifts and blessings beyond what we could earn. Would people describe you as someone who gets more thankful every year? 

Clap and sing! Music has a way of making our hearts rejoice that few other things do. Be purposeful about listening to songs that point you towards praising God for who He is and what He does this Thanksgiving.

Express your thankfulness in a unique way this year. You may not be able to sit around a big table to share your thankful thought for the year, but don't miss the opportunity! Tell a neighbour. Call a friend. Write a card to a family member. Share it somehow!