Preparing the House, the Heart, and the Tri-Tip

A reflection on thankfulness, Scripture, America’s roots, and the joy of the season.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I pray your homes are filled with the laughter of family and friends, and the rich aromas of fresh-baked bread, pies, and turkey. At our house, we’re tri-tip people, so the Traeger is gonna be smoking away, no doubt sending mouthwatering signals to every neighbor on the block.

As I’ve been preparing the house and the food, I’ve also been preparing my heart. With so much happening in my life and in all our lives, I know I’m not the only one feeling the weight of everything taking place around us. In the middle of it all, I found myself thinking of the Apostle Paul, who, even while sitting in prison, wrote these words in Philippians 4:8 (ESV):

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Sitting with that verse, I’m reminded that it truly takes discipline to focus on the good. I’ve been practicing it all week, hoping that, like they say, after six weeks it becomes muscle memory. I’m counting on it.

And yes, I even had to laugh at myself today. I was driving, getting frustrated, becoming a bit too critical, and right as I was about to wish a flat tire on someone who cut me off, I caught myself. I thought, “Good grief… I might need a shock collar to snap me back to whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, and excellent.” The visual was hilarious—can you imagine if we all wore shock collars? We’d be walking around twitching like we had a mix of seizures and Tourette’s. A ridiculous picture, but a good reminder that all of us are works in progress.

As I’ve been working through all of this, house prep, heart prep, and yes, tri-tip therapy, I’ve also been thinking about our nation’s roots. When the Founders wrote about the “pursuit of happiness,” they weren’t pointing toward chasing feel-good moments. They were drawing from a deep Biblical and classical truth: that every person has the God-given right to live a virtuous, meaningful, and responsible life, free from tyranny.

To them, happiness meant flourishing in faith, family, honest work, and moral character. It meant the freedom to keep the fruits of your labor, to worship YHWH without interference, and to build a life grounded in duty and virtue. Government was never the giver of these rights—God was. And the Founders believed government existed only to protect those rights, not control them.

In short, the “pursuit of happiness” was their way of saying that each of us has the God-given right to live the life He calls us to live-free, responsible, faithful, and anchored in truth. Not a guarantee of comfort, but a guarantee of freedom.

Through it all, I remain grateful, grateful for grace, grateful for growth, and grateful for you. As we gather around our tables, I pray YHWH breathes peace into every corner of your home. May He steady your heart where it feels anxious, strengthen you where you feel stretched, and remind you that even in uncertain days, He has not stepped off His throne.

My hope for you this Thanksgiving is simple: that you feel the comfort of His presence, the warmth of your loved ones, and the reassurance that you are not walking through this season alone. I also pray that your heart finds fresh joy, real joy, the kind that can’t be shaken by the headlines or the swirl of life around us. May YHWH renew your courage, restore your hope, and remind you that gratitude is not just a holiday tradition but a spiritual weapon. We are a people anchored in something far bigger than the troubles of this world, and for that, I give thanks.

And now, for a little holiday honesty… tomorrow is the day many have been waiting for. Yes, you officially have my permission to haul out the Christmas bins, untangle the lights, and pretend the tree stand isn’t going to test your sanctification. If you’ve been itching to blast Christmas music since October, well… tomorrow you no longer have to hide it.

May your Thanksgiving be blessed—and may your Christmas tree stand upright on the first try. (Miracles still happen!)