But what you may not now is that I don't break traditions just to break them. My heart is to challenge the status quo, to mess with routine, and get myself and as many others as possible to get back to the essence of following God and being the Church!
Traditions can be great tools. They are built-in life-memorials and altars. Places of safety, worship, and celebrations. Traditions create markers in life that we can return to and build in essential practices.
What are the traditions you value most at Thanksgiving?
Here are a few of my favorites and a few I'd like to build in:
- Being with family (it says that no matter what, family is top priority)
- Eating together (ok, obvious, but sometimes we forget that eating together is an important part of keeping/ building healthy relationships)
- Thanks-giving (everyone goes around the table and shares what they are grateful for before and while we eat- usually because some take too long and the rest of us get hungry)
- Communion (we share communion as part of our Thanksgiving meal- it keeps our gratitude aimed in the right direction; this can wait until the end of the meal)
- Special thank-yous (think of 1, 2, or even 3 of the people who've had the greatest impact on our life, and send them and email, or better, a letter, to say "thank you". These are meaningful, specific to how they've impacted our life)
- Giving (build into this season opportunities to give and serve others- give a turkey to a neighbor, friend, or co-worker in need; volunteer at the local soup kitchen; clear out favorite clothes, toys and donate them to a local shelter)
- Football (I miss playing football with my brothers before Thanksgiving dinner- so I like to go outside with whatever guys are around and throw the football; then, veg after dinner and watch football or at least sneak a few minutes.)
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