November signals the official beginning of the holiday season. Of all the holidays, I have to admit that Thanksgiving is my favorite because it is not about anything you get but more about what you give.  Therefore, what an appropriate time to kick off our Community Service Project.  I hope you will be able to participate in one of the two events that are planned for this month to support Present Age Ministries. 

Recently, I was sharing with some “new” friends how some “old” friends had helped me during a difficult time in my life.  Later, I started thinking about all the warm, kind, loving people who were brought into my life throughout the years.  How blessed I have been to have met them!  I am reminded of an old Girl Scout song, “Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.”  During this time of Thanksgiving, let’s remember to be thankful for all our “New Friends”.  I close with this poem on Friendship.  

Thanksgiving is here, so our minds have turned
To what time has taught us, to what we've learned:
We often focus all our thought
On shiny things we've shopped and bought.
We take our pleasure in material things,
Forgetting the pleasure that friendship brings.
If a lot of our stuff just vanished today,
We'd see the foundation of each happy day
Is special relationships, constant and true,
And that's when my thoughts go directly to you.
I wish you a Thanksgiving you'll never forget,
Full of love and joy—your best one yet!