It looked so perfect sitting on the counter. It was beautiful. The Treehouse Thanksgiving Celebration features food made by all of the classes. They mix and cook and plan for a big spread. All the families come to the Fellowship Hall. The children sing songs and recite poetry.

It is usually my first official event of Thanksgiving and I love it. I love the hats and vest they make. I love the placemats. I love the families gathering together all in the name of giving thanks. 

I can't wait to see family and friends this week who will gather together at our house. I have big plans this weekend to get our playground scrubbed clean for the next generation of Henderson kids to play on it. Our family brings dogs with them and that added bit of chaos is so much fun. We make an annual walk through the Cain Center after lunch and love the crunching of leaves beneath our feet. 

It's been a complicated year. Things look worse in the world--shootings, division, racism, rancour, sexual assault. I often just want to look away from it all. The discipline of thanksgiving is important. I scrolled through my photos and remembered lots I was thankful for, great people I work with, the Refresh Campaign and process, Route 66 readings, getting the church bell back, The Robie House tour, Hamilton, walking on a frozen lake, Ecuminical Israel, my dogs, waves on the beach, Presidential libraries (4), Pokemon Go, our own youth camp, Dnow, steeple lights, 20 year celebration, eagles, friends, community pastors, camping out, 2 GLS trips, birds, baptisms, salt, music, VBS, Colorado, mountain streams, deer, mini-golf, total eclipse, hiking, highpoints, serving, state fair, Lance's new job, our family, my wife, our church.

Every day God's blessings are real, sometimes I just need to get my eyes off all the other stuff and put it on the near stuff. The stuff that makes my life rich and real and beautiful.