Thanksgiving Apart: The Thankful Life Of Our Military Family

This year my family is not together for the 5th time during Thanksgiving. This really is a lot considering that our children are ages 10, 4, and 3. However, such is the life of a military family. Although this day could bring much sadness and pain for us – because we walk with God and believe His Word and accept His LOVE, it is not. Thanksgiving has continued to be a wonderful holiday for our family – even when Daddy is thousands of miles away, in a war zone – again.

A Message For Daddy…. 

One thing that has brought our family great joy is knowing that we are doing the same thing on the same day. My husband is a cook in the Army so on Thanksgiving he is cooking just like he would be with us. Well, obviously he is doing it on a much larger scale, but cooking nonetheless! 

Here are some pictures of the hard work the children and I put in to make our small Thanksgiving a major success!

I wanted to wish you all a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING and share an article I wrote that was recently published at Wives In Bloom (the online magazine for Christian Military Wives). Enjoy 🙂

Thanksgiving: A Lifestyle, A Choice, Not Just A Holiday

By: Carlie Kercheval 

Thanksgiving.

When most people hear this word, the first thing that comes to mind is a massive table – full of food shared with family and good friends. Or maybe some people think about the Pilgrim’s and Native American’s celebration of their first successful harvest in 1621. Either way, it is a season that most American’s thoroughly enjoy.

But my suggestion to you, is that thanksgiving should be a lifestyle, rather than a seasonal holiday. I know sometimes it is hard to be thankful when things don’t seem to be going your way. I know it is difficult to be thankful when your husband is thousands of miles away fighting a war – AGAIN – when he could be home with you. I know it is hard to be thankful when your children are crying and cannot be comforted because their daddy is gone for a year at a time. I know it is hard to be thankful when a loved one is fighting a quickly debilitating disease. And the list goes on and on.

I know, I really do.

The good news is that we have a Father that can teach us how to ALWAYS be thankful, no matter what “seems” to be going on around us. We have a savior, precious Jesus, that lived and walked amongst us – faithfully – serving His Father in Heaven from whom all precious gifts flow. And He was thankful.

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:15-17

Can we too, be thankful despite what is happening in our lives circumstantially? Yes, we can, if we so choose to do so. I choose to live thanksgiving every day. At first it was not easy to think this way, to be this way, nor to choose this way of thankfulness. But it can happen, and for me it did.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”                     1 Thessalonians 5:18

How can we become immersed in a life full of thanksgiving despite what the times of uncertainty, danger, and separation that being a military spouse can make us “feel”? By getting deeper into His word: The Bible. Through prayer – lots of it. And living like this will allow a greater faith to be grown. Day-by-day. Week-by-week. Year-by-year. Life-by-life.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15

Be encouraged today and every day to live with thanksgiving all the days of your life. It is your right to do so. Choose to be thankful. One. Day. At. A. Time.