THE BEST HOLIDAY PREP

THE BEST HOLIDAY PREP
Tuesday, November 12, 2024 by Janet Holm McHenry

PLEASE WELCOME

JANET HOLM McHENRY

TUESDAY’S TREASURE

I looked at the calendar and about choked. I had no menu plans, no gift list, no budget for either, and no energy. With a family of twenty, I face weeks of holiday preparation. Because of work demands, I felt behind on everything . . . until I ran errands yesterday.

Throughout Walmart, there were constant reminders that I was behind. The food aisles were filled with Thanksgiving food items, and the housewares aisles were decked out with Christmas decorations.

Lord, help! I’m not ready for the holidays!

And then I saw his answer. A young woman pushed her cart toward me . . . one-handed. She had to—because her left arm had just a stump above where her elbow had been. And just minutes later another young woman walked toward me with the help of a metal arm crutch—because she had just a stump above where her knee had been.

Seeing those two amputees within minutes of each other gave me the best holiday prep I needed: a mindset of gratitude. It reminded me of a verse tucked away in my memory: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18 NIV). And I knew right then that God privileged me with those encounters so I would put in motion a season of thanksgiving that would carry me into 2025.

If you too want the best possible holiday prep, here are some ways to express a thankful heart:

Write thank-you notes.

Sending a short note to someone could make their day. Traditionally, we send notes when someone gives a gift or hosts us, but writing notes “just because” could lift someone from discouragement.

Keep a gratitude journal.

When I recount a list of blessings, my perspective immediately changes. Writing down a couple of blessings daily in a journal would provide a visual reference point for dreary days.

Volunteer.

There are ample opportunities through church and nonprofit organizations to volunteer at Thanksgiving time and the weeks that follow: food pantries, food basket deliveries, angel trees, and dinners for the needy. Doing so helps us get perspective on all that God has given us . . . a reminder of what Jesus taught: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:40 NIV).

Reflect and give thanks.

I recently became acquainted with the practice of examen, which is a simple process of examining your day. I do this when I’ve just settled into bed. I ask God to help me review my day so I can thank him for his presence. This leads to a prayer of thanksgiving.

A practice of mindful gratitude can change our whole perspective—such as what happened within me when I noticed those amputees. My prayer wasn’t “Thank you, God, that I’m not like them” but instead “Thank you, God, for life.”

Giving thanks can be the best holiday prep we can do.

ABOUT JANET HOLM McHENRY

Janet Holm McHenry is a national speaker and the author of 27 books—eight on prayer, including the bestselling PrayerWalk, Praying Personalities, and her newest, Looking Up! Finding Joy as You Read and Pray Through the Bible. Her prayer-walking practices for her community have been featured in many national magazines, including Health. Janet leads the prayer ministries at The Bridge Church in Reno and serves on the California leadership team for the National Day of Prayer. She and her husband, Craig, live in the Sierra Valley in northern California, where they raised their four children and he is a cattle rancher. She offers a free e-book called Prayer Helps: Scripture-Based Prayers When You Don’t Know How to Pray on her website. And you can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

Looking Up! is a 365-day devotional book by Our Daily Bread Publications that provides daily encouragement and helps you read and pray through the Bible in a year.

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