{"id":23322,"date":"2025-10-30T08:00:42","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T13:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/openbiblemessage.org\/?p=23322"},"modified":"2025-10-30T12:07:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T17:07:09","slug":"stealing-thanksgiving-reclaiming-the-table-for-gods-glory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/openbiblemessage.org\/es\/2025\/10\/stealing-thanksgiving-reclaiming-the-table-for-gods-glory\/","title":{"rendered":"Stealing Thanksgiving: Reclaiming the Table for God\u2019s Glory"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cBabe, I think we need to steal Christmas.\u201d I said this to my wife, Kelley, as we were driving back from a family celebration. Without any further explanation, she knew I meant that the atmosphere of our family gatherings had left a lot to be desired. It wasn\u2019t that they were bad; in fact, they were fun and filled with love, but we both sensed that commercialism had taken over and God wanted more for us; He was highlighting these family gatherings as spaces where He wanted to be on display.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I continued processing with Kelley: \u201c\u2026On second thought, changing Christmas might be too much for our families to handle, but I think we could probably take over next year\u2019s Thanksgiving celebration. If we start planting the seeds now, then in ten years no one will notice that little by little we\u2019ve taken over planning the big gatherings\u2014until Christmas is just handed to us!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
… it was in this moment that Thanksgiving was reborn for our family<\/strong>.<\/mark><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Kelley looked at me skeptically. Okay, so maybe my plan to steal Christmas was a little ambitious and made me sound like a Pixar villain, but it was in this moment that Thanksgiving was reborn for our family. We brainstormed, we got excited, and Kelley helped wrangle us under God\u2019s wisdom. As we prayed, God showed us a whole new way to gather at the table.<\/p>\n\n\n
\nAn Italian Thanksgiving<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
First, the table needed to be extended, both literally and metaphorically. We wanted to combine both sides of our family under one roof (can you say high risk?). Everyone was welcome, and we made sure to personally invite those without family or community. Kelley and I are part of a ministry that focuses on underserved neighborhoods in Toledo, Ohio. There is no shortage of people here who need to be connected to God\u2019s love and see His family in action on days that remind them of trauma, hardship, and pain (including holidays).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Second, old traditions had to die for new ones to be born. Bye-bye, TV trays and football games; hello, giant thankfulness tree. Transparently, it was at this point that I was a little concerned; we were taking on generations of tradition, and I still wasn\u2019t sure how to put God on display like He wanted to be. That was when He showed us the big one: The Food. Goodbye, turkey, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole.<\/p>\n\n\n
A new tradition was born. Instead of the traditional Thanksgiving meal, we picked a foreign culture and tried our hand at making their traditional dishes, desserts, and drinks. We adopted their games, played their music, and decorated our home with their colors. It was a huge risk, and it was a hit!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we prayed, God showed us a whole new way to gather at the table.<\/mark><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
After several years of these reinvented Thanksgivings, both our family and neighbors are fully on board. Each year, everyone at the table votes on the next cultural cuisine, and now, eight years in, Thanksgiving has become a highlight tradition. People dress up, experiment with exotic dishes, invite friends, and\u2014most importantly\u2014shower one another with love. Some years the gathering has grown so large we\u2019ve even had to find a new venue.<\/p>\n\n\n
\nYear Two of the Thankfulness Tree<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Our \u201cthankfulness tree,\u201d built by Kelley, has become the centerpiece of the gathering. Each person writes down what they\u2019re grateful for, shares it, and adds their leaf. And year after year we\u2019ve saved them, creating a beautiful archive of gratitude. Neighbors without family have joined us too, finding a place to share thanks, receive prayer, and encounter God\u2019s love through new traditions. Along the way, we\u2019ve cooked some unforgettable meals, and one of my favorite moments has been watching people set aside hesitation to try something new when the familiar comforts aren\u2019t on the table. That kind of openness has sparked amazing conversations about God, suffering, love, and family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
God has been on full display, His table extended, His traditions for us established, and His love something I am truly thankful for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Oh, and did we just so happen to host Christmas at our house last year? You betcha.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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