Thanksgiving Not So Thanks

As Thanksgiving approaches, I’ve been thinking about how easy it is to get caught up in perfection, wanting every dish homemade, every decoration flawless, every detail just right. For those of us who are homemakers at heart, that desire to create something beautiful can be a gift, but it can also become a source of stress and exhaustion.

This year, I want to remind myself and other women like me that not everything has to be made from scratch. Choosing which battles matter is part of wise stewardship. Some dishes can be simple or store-bought. Some decorations can be minimal. The heart of the holiday is not perfection; it is peace, gratitude, and love.

God gives us a spirit not of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (Psalms 29:11). Even in the chaos of the season, we have the choice. We can let the pressure overwhelm us, or we can choose peace. Choosing peace does not mean we are not devoted homemakers; it means we are trusting God with the details and letting joy, not stress, guide our hearts.

This Thanksgiving, I want to embrace simplicity, focus on what truly matters, and let my home be a place of warmth and gratitude, not perfection.