This coming week we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. To many of us the first thought that comes to our mind is a BIG meal. For oth-
ers it may be the time with family and friends. One of my biggest memories is when the meal got on the table and my mother w ould ask
us to all name one thing, we were grateful for. The look on my nephews faces! A few of them would respond that they were gr ateful for
the Turkey. How good are we at being grateful for what we have?

A friend of mine on Facebook is doing a ‘30 days of gratitude’. Each day there is a question asking what (blank) are you grateful for? To
give you an idea a few are: What smell, What sound, What book… For 30 days you are asked to be grateful for something. It is a neat
idea to get yourself thinking that way. It is so easy to see what you want or need, but it can be harder to see what you hav e and give
thanks.

There can be BIG or small things that we are thankful for. I will always be thankful I had the mother I had. I wish I would have had
more time with her. I was only 45 when she passed. Her faith, her example of prayer, and her love played a huge part in help ing me grow
on my own. I am grateful that the Lord called me to the priesthood, that I was ordained and the many gifts my priesthood has given in
my life. I am grateful for the Koshiol family in Rogers, they helped me through a dark time in my life and are dear, dear, friends who wel-
comed me as family. I am grateful for so many of the people that God has put into my life, some that have stayed and some that have only
passed through. I am grateful for my pups, each with their own personality. I am grateful I have been at my current placeme nt 9 years
(my longest ever).

Some smaller things I am grateful for. Kemps Eggnog, oh the day it came in!! Queen Anne chocolate covered cherries!! Yellow Peep Bun-
nies at Easter. These are seasonal things that I only get to enjoy for a limited time. Being Diabetic, I also need to be ca reful how much I
enjoy them. I am grateful for some of my rescues that have come my way, too many stories with these.

Big and small, what are those things that you are grateful for? What are your Thanksgiving plans? I hope you will enjoy tim e with fami-
ly or friends. I also hope you will be Thankful for the many gifts you have.

Thanksgiving is also a time that jumpstarts Christmas shopping thoughts. ‘Black Friday’ of old started on Friday after Thanksgiving, it
starts sooner and sooner every year. More and more online sales too. I am grateful that I do not have a long gift list to g o shopping for.
With 9 siblings, we draw names at Thanksgiving and only have one gift to buy. I remember a time that you did not even know w ho
drew your name until you got the gift. Siblings do not exchange gifts much anymore. Even my gift exchange with the Koshiol’s has
dropped off over the last few years. This really is fine with me; it saves me shopping time and $$$. But I also can’t really think of any-
thing I really want or need. My focus has turned much more to the birth of the Christ Child and the joy that brings.

Thanksgiving also means time will be speeding up soon, at least it feels that way. As we soon enter Advent, I will be runnin g around to
help with penance services. This comes with a lot of joy of seeing brother priests I do not get to see much; this year I wil l be meeting
new priests as I help in St Cloud for the first time. It also comes with a lot more on my calendar to do too. It just seems that the busier I
am the faster time moves and sometimes the less I get done.

This coming week, may you and yours have a Blessed Thanksgiving.
Oh, how can I forget how Thankful I am for YOU!!!

Fr. Backer