Conejo Adventist^® Elementary School

A Very Happy Early Thanksgiving to you all! What will next week look like for you? Family holidays can be refreshing or stressful, joyful or dreadful, relaxing or frantic…the list could go on. Thanksgiving growing up was super exciting for our family. Every year, we would drive down to my grandparents either in the San Gabriel Valley or Riverside area for a few days. We alternated years staying with either my mom’s parents or my dad’s parents but both sides of the family were always together for Thanksgiving Day. Since we lived up at the top of the Central Valley, we didn’t get to see our grandparents often and looked forward to the time together. The Thanksgiving meal always included traditional favorites to eat and little traditions like the cornucopia on the hutch filled with nuts and fruit. As a child, I remember conversations about politics and other sensitive issues between the grown-ups, but the tension from the banter never outweighed the joy of being together. 
 
The role of host was passed on to my family many years ago and I’m looking forward to welcoming extended family to our house. There will be the stress of making sure the house is ready to add overnight guests and stocking the shelves with extra food, but in the end, eating together, taking a walk outside, and playing games after the meal supersedes the stresses. Whatever next week brings you, extra family, solitude, a Thanksgiving feast, or pizza on the couch, I pray joy is the winner for all! Happy Thanksgiving Conejo Family!
 
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Psalms 136:1 NIV