RE Update November 2010
Walking the Spiral Path
The “season of thanks” is upon us. Here are some ways to make the month and particularly Thanksgiving Day, more meaningful.
Create a Thankful Box: Before Thanksgiving, put a cardboard box with a slit cut into the top and a pile of blank paper and a pencil in a place in your house everyone passes frequently. Invite your family members to write down things they are thankful for and put them in the box. Share the contents of the box during your feast.
Corn Kernels: Put three corn kernels next to each place setting at Thanksgiving dinner and have each person count out and share things they are thankful for.
Teach the True Story of Thanksgiving: explore websites such as http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/ curr040.shtml to make sure the stories you are passing down are accurate.
Create a Thanksgiving Altar: Find a good location in your home and have each family member place small items, tokens, symbols, photos or trinkets that symbolize things they are thankful for. Take a walk together and collect items from nature to add to your altar. Be sure to have each person share about their contributions to the altar.
Share a Special Blessing: Before the meal take time to hold hands, look in on another’s eyes and rejoice in being together. You can sing or say these words from Emerson (adapted) “For each new morning with its light, for rest and shelter of the night, for health and food, for love and friends, for everything life’s goodness sends, thank you.” Another mealtime prayer is: “Earth who gave to us this food, sun who made it ripe and good, dearest earth, dearest sun, we’ll not forget what you have done. Blessings on the meal and peace on the earth. Amen.”
May we all have hearts that are light yet full of thanks!
Leia Durland-Jones
Director of Religious Education