It’s November! I love November! It’s the start of the celebrations I look forward to the most. November is my favorite because it’s the kickoff to the season!
If you ask my kids, they’ll tell you I have a lot of favorites. Does that mean I don’t actually have a “for real” favorite? That could be true. May is my favorite spring month, June is my anniversary – an automatic favorite – December’s holiday can’t be beat (I won’t mention Christmas yet for those of you who can’t stand early Christmas celebrators. Merry early Christmas to the rest of you!), and who doesn’t love July? The good ole U.S.A. and I share a birthday! It doesn’t get any better than that.
But this, my favorite November, is the month of Thanksgiving – and I am thankful! Those first Thanksgiving celebrators didn’t even know the wonders that would come in this “land that I love.”
I’m thankful as I run right up into the beautiful, spacious skies where I freely fly and swing my legs in the wind. I’m thankful for rolling waves of green alfalfa whispering in the breeze and for the amber fields of corn – golden drops of sunlight harvested from every cob.
I’m thankful for our Driftless bluffs of velvet emerald, flowing in stately ridges and folds across the land of rivers and streams.
If you couldn’t tell, that was my little local rendition of “America the Beautiful.” We only need to sing that song again and again to be thankful for this country where God has given His grace – from sea to shining sea!
The song goes on to describe the spirit of the pilgrims and a plea for God to “mend our every flaw.” And may we also keep our liberty as given in the law.
I’m thankful for the heroes who prove their love of country by giving of themselves. We have seen the patriot dream live beyond their years. Today, it’s our turn to pick up their baton and say together, “America! America! God shed His grace on thee! And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea!”
We can look across our beautiful bluff country and be thankful. Every gain that is divine is nothing less than a gift of God’s refining. That is the true reason to be thankful – God’s design from day one until now.
Earlier this week, we learned a new song that’s been pulsing through my thoughts ever since. It’s called “Creator” by Phil Wickham, and it puts to melody how all of creation is praising its Creator. The “creatures great and small” are lifting their voices right along with the “crashing seas” and the “choir made of galaxies.” Earth and heaven sing forever!
And then comes the most mind-blowing part – the Creator Himself joins the scene:
“Praise Him who stepped into what He made,
Paid our debt and pulled us from the grave.
Every heart He set free, every soul that’s been redeemed –
Lift your voice and worship your Creator.”
America the Beautiful? Yes, it is!
All that beauty, like a flower lifting its face in adoration to the One who gave His all.
That’s my thankful November – and that’s just the start.
Meet your farmer – Jonathan Gerdes. He and his wife run a farm-to-table raw milk dairy and farm Airbnb in Caledonia, Minn. If he isn’t in the barn, you can find him dating his wife, playing with his kids, leading youth group, or flying in the sky. Visit gerdesfreshfarm.com for more info.
Sweet Pepper Soup
2 cups freeze dried red peppers
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1.5 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. flake salt
1 tsp. coriander
2 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
2 cans coconut milk (or one can coconut milk and the rest cream)
1.5 cups cubed chicken
3 Tbsp. butter (for cooking chicken)
- Cook chicken in 3 Tbsp. butter in a saucepan
- Pulse freeze dried peppers in a food processor until completely pulverized
- Whisk together spices, coconut milk, and pulverized peppers into the pan when chicken is cooked.
- Simmer until flavors are combined
Serve over cooked rice with some cheese and sour cream.
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