It is tough to come up with Thanksgiving crafts except for the “pine cone turkey.” So, I was excited when Oriental Trader had a craft that would work with my pre-school class.

(For those not familiar with crafts and preschoolers, basically you have to work off the “don’t want to do this” again list. For me this includes anything involving: scissors, glue, paint, tape, dried pasta, beans or fruit. In other words, I’m not good with crafts and little kids!)

The ordered kits arrived in the mail and I was ready to make a sample. The craft involved pealing brightly colored turkey part stickers (like feathers, beak, eyes, body, etc.) off of a page and placing them on another page. The final result was a cute turkey in the middle of a piece of paper. What could go wrong? The only problem was that the parts had to be put on the paper in a certain order or the turkey didn’t look like the one on the front of the package.

The appointed Thanksgiving craft day arrived and only two kids (twins) showed up for class. I hated it that more kids didn’t come, but this was going to be easy. The three of us started working. I reminded the kids of the importance of doing the project in order. They looked at me and followed my instructions. After about 10 minutes of work, their turkeys looked like mine. I was so pleased.

Because I had planned for more kids, I told the twins that they could do additional turkey pages if they wanted to. They looked at each other and then one looked at me and asked “can we put the stickers on the page anyway we want to?” I was surprised. I knew that that would not work. I had found that unless they followed my specific directions their turkeys would look strange.

I looked back at the boys. They were smiling with expectation. They had the look of a child – the look that the rest of us are trying to restore on our own faces. I smiled back and said “Sure.”

And, that’s when the fun started. Feathers got eyes. Beaks were on top of the paper. Several pages had no turkey body and another page had multiple turkey bodies with no heads. The boys laughed and laughed as their turkey pictures got crazier. Finally they laughed so hard that one of them snorted and that resulted in even more laughter.   I laughed so hard that tears rolled down my cheeks.

OK, so our turkey pictures looked nothing like the picture on the package. But, we had a ball.

This year, as we gather together, give perfection a rest and pray that you and yours will laugh together until there are tears and snorting!!

“Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns.” (Deuteronomy 16:14)

It is getting late; I never did get that afternoon nap I planned and talked about. My body is weary and my eyes are getting heavy. But, it has been an amazing day. I’ve just got to share some highlights:

• I talked with middle schoolers about faith.  And, when we saw an ambulance outside, one of them prayed out loud while the rest of us bowed our heads and prayed silently – I was so proud of them!
• We celebrated the 13^th birthday of a sweet girl. And, she and our youth pastor had a hilarious moment figuring out how they were going to hold hands when we met for prayer before the service.
• I sang songs, old and new, and raised my voice in praise.
• Tears filled my eyes as we watched a video honoring veterans and said the Pledge of Allegiance with hands over hearts.
• Friends I have known for years and friends I met for the first time shook my hand and hugged me and told me “Good Morning” and “God bless you” and “I’m so glad to see you.”
• At our potluck lunch, the selection of amazing food items would put any family restaurant to shame. I got to eat Mary Jo’s apple pie, and Geraldine’s chicken, and Deborah’s rice, and so much more. (No wonder I am tired!)
• I heard stories from the Old Testament and about people living today in countries I will probably never visit.
• Those around our table included people who have struggled with homelessness, professionals, parents and grandparents. They told funny stories, teased each other, cared about each other and a few wrapped up plates of leftovers to take to those who are less fortunate.
• I helped to clean a kitchen and I toted trash bags. I watched as people just did what needed to be done.
• Our Sunday was full of faith and food and friends and love.

When people tell me that they don’t like to go to church I wonder what they think that church is.

• Yes, it is true that my church meets on Sunday mornings. But, we also have other times of meeting and study. It is a bit like Monday night football. To watch it live, you have to tune in on Monday night, but you can enjoy football at other times too.
• And, it is true, not everyone in our church is perfect. In fact, I am pretty sure that everyone there would tell you that they are far from perfect.
• You are right if you think that church seems to focus on faith. I like that. I need that. I want that.
• And, probably like you, I am not always comfortable with what is said from the platform or what is written in the Bible, but it makes me think. And, it has made me change.

Looking for faith, friends, fellowship, fun, a chance to serve, young people, old people, meaning, or God?  Maybe it is time to try church again.  Just a thought.

“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25)

Love,

Jill (just one of God’s kids)