Not only do you have a few days off from school this week, but there is also a holiday to celebrate!
- What are some of your Thanksgiving traditions? (Answers will vary but may include: dinner at grandparents; serving dinner at a soup kitchen; shopping; traveling to see relatives; staying home and putting up a Christmas tree; going to a movie; baking pies with family; watching football; saying one thing he or she is thankful for; etc.)
One Thanksgiving tradition popular with many Americans is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Over 3 million spectators show up to watch the parade in person, and many more watch it on national television. Let’s take a look.
Play the following video for your students [1:52]:
The History Of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade | Business Insider
Although Thanksgiving has many fun traditions—including parades, food, and time spent with loved ones, the purpose of the day is to give thanks for our abundant blessings.
- If you get together with family or friends, and if a prayer is shared, who usually says grace at your table before the big dinner? What things are included in that prayer? (Answers will vary; your preteens may talk about thanking God for our food, family, and friends; bless the food itself; bless those who prepared the food; etc.)
- How might you react if someone prays a really long prayer at your table this Thursday? (Answers may vary.)
- If you were the one who said grace, what might you thank God for? (Answers will vary.)
As we approach a holiday designated for giving thanks, we are challenged to consider when and for what we give thanks. Our lesson today is about Solomon’s prayer of thanks. Let’s find out the kinds of things that were in Solomon’s thanksgiving prayer.
