On Thursday of this week, we celebrate Thanksgiving … then we kick off the Christmas season.

As I drive around town I see a lot of Christmas lights already up on homes. The downtown decorations are hung. My mail and email is being bombarded with Black Friday deals. A reminder that the year-end, spiritual, celebration of the birth of a babe destined to change the world is just around the corner.

But first, we must give thanks. Correction, we get to give thanks.