Something a Little Different
He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.~Song of Solomon 2:4 ESV
One Thanksgiving, I decided I would do something a little different. I had just moved into my new home and was far away from family. It looked as if I would have a very isolated Thanksgiving with just one nearby family member.
A Different Thanksgiving
After some thought and prayer, I considered what the initial Thanksgiving feast was like. Foreigners gathered at the table with natives, sharing a meal and celebrating in gratitude to God for His provision. Impossible odds stood against the early Americans as they built the new nation from scratch, seeking to honor God from their hearts.
Thanksgiving didn’t begin as a family-only event but was a table shared with strangers and neighbors. Together, they celebrated the goodness of God over the land they lived in and His kindness to them through the harvest season.
Thanksgiving is a unique American tradition and holiday that I have always loved because of its heartbeat. When I faced a lonely Thanksgiving, I felt the Lord nudge my heart to open my home to other lonely neighbors and strangers who had nowhere else to gather. I decided to put on my largest and best feast as an offering to God in thanks for what He had done over the past years. My heart was so excited that I would have the opportunity to share and open my home.
What was initially a lonely-looking holiday became a special moment. God supplied a bounty of amazing food. I prepared two turkeys and all the traditional Thanksgiving extras. Then I invited people I met over the next two weeks. Ultimately, a dozen people came. My dining room space was too small for us all. I had to borrow folding tables and chairs and create a formal dining space in my living room instead.
As I sat together with strangers and neighbors, my heart was full. All I could think of was how beautiful the gathering was. I could imagine heaven as we gather for the greatest feast of all with Jesus.
And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”~Revelation 19:9 ESV
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I prayed over the meal and each precious person. I had so much to be grateful for. A little nudge from the Lord to open my home and throw a feast for strangers turned into an unforgettable Thanksgiving.
A Different Perspective
Sometimes, opening our world to others can feel uncomfortable at first, but we never know how much it may mean to them. We get used to our traditions, and it takes unique circumstances to shake us from our routines. I sat, looking at my twelve guests, and was overwhelmed with joy at the sharing. I thought of Jesus with the twelve disciples and how each of them was a stranger to the others at first. But Jesus invited them to follow Him, and they did.
And the master said to the servant, “Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.”~Luke 14:23 ESV
There is power in an invitation. Maybe you could have an open seat at your table for someone new this Thanksgiving season.
You never know how much a simple invitation can mean to someone. Make one.
God, please open my eyes to the people around me—my community, workplace, and neighborhood—who need an invitation to my table this Thanksgiving. Please show me how to be a living example of Your generosity and kindness. Help me see outside of my circle and share Your good news with willing hearts. You have given me so much to be grateful for and so much I can share. Thank You for being my example and for giving me insight into who and how You would have me invite. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Genre: Non-fiction
Copyright 2025: Something a Little Different: Kristi LaRee: All Rights Reserved.
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