You're listening to Encounter, a simple daily podcast made possible by listeners like

you.

We hope to help you discover sacred moments in the middle of ordinary days.

If you would enjoy more seasonal and topical meditations, I encourage you to download

the encountering piece mobile app, where all of the meditations are free, as they should

be.

Let's play Word Association.

What's the first thing that comes to mind when I say the word Thanksgiving?

Well, if Butterball has done their job, it's probably a golden brown turkey with all

the trimmings.

We think of the word Thanksgiving as a noun, as a place, a thing, an event.

But in Scripture, Thanksgiving is more often a verb than a noun, something we do more

than some place we attend or something we eat.

In Hebrew, the word for Thanksgiving and praise are often the same, the word yada, meaning

to throw out or to cast out.

And for you is Thanksgiving more about a turkey leg and dressing, or about throwing and casting

out words of praise to God?

Well the theme for this meditation from Psalm 9 is Thanksgiving, pondering Thanksgiving

as a verb more than a noun, something you do more than an event that you attend.

But even as a verb, Thanksgiving the event can be anything that prays worthy.

It can be filled with stress, tension, and family drama.

Well, either way, you're in the right place.

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