Thanksgiving Encouragement for Momsنموونە

Embrace this Moment in Time

by Melissa Lain

Oh, how lovely is fall: a change in season, the glow of golden light casting its warmth on all that it touches. The joy of entering this time brings us the great anticipation of the celebration of Thanksgiving and its charm! Since it is my personal favorite time of year, our house transforms into a harvest of warmth, with pumpkin scents and festive florals and fabrics. In the past, I packed my kids’ lunches with seasonal napkins and tasty festive treats. Now, as they return home from college, we all share in the memories that flood back from fall seasons of the past! 

My perspective of truly abiding took root years ago while sharing a parenting issue with a mentor. She recommended that we savor the phases of a struggle with our child, whether, in happy or frustrating chapters of parenting, those times equip us to rejoice in this daily grind. 

Living on the Texas Gulf Coast has fed into our anxiety when awaiting the shift to the fall season. The season ushers in family, memories, and an attitude of gratitude that prepares us to embrace loved ones. Unfortunately, individuals rush through Thanksgiving to put trees & lights up in preparation for Christmas, all the while missing the opportunity to abide in the consciousness of this point in time.

“Such a time as this…” Esther 4:14. Moms become aware and present.
Time vanishes, the stage of life you exist in now, most likely, will never happen again. Little hands and feet to clean, bottoms to wipe, but stop for a moment and reap the beauty of the mundane, the routine, because in the blink of an eye, dear one, it is gone! God has given you a calling, cherished mother and wife, to set the tone, to practice and evolve into a role model of all things good in your home. The impressionable young lives you have an impact on every day are watching. When you look back on these days, these precious crazy moments in time, how do you want to be remembered? 

How often do you pause, busy mom, in your daily routine to reflect on the riches of “this moment?” We rush from one event to the next only to forfeit the blessing of what that occasion or reality offers. Why don’t we remain in the now, just for today? 

During this Thanksgiving holiday, practice embracing all things dear: health, homes, family, and traditions, without rushing or expectations. Expose yourself to the pleasure of the here and now (Psalm 46:10)! 

“The remarkable thing is, we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.” - Charles R. Swindoll

Dear one, apply this truth in every area of life. As a child of the Almighty God, where you are, right now, it is no coincidence!

“A thankful heart is one of the primary identifying characteristics of a believer. “ It stands in stark contrast to pride, selfishness, and worry. And it helps fortify the believer’s trust in the Lord and reliance on His provision, even in the toughest times. No matter how choppy the seas become, a believer’s heart is buoyed by constant praise and gratefulness to the Lord.”  ~ John Mac Arthur